Conflict between Chelsea and Enzo Maresca: London club accuses former coach

London club Chelsea has issued an unexpected and sharp statement regarding its former head coach Enzo Maresca. After the Italian specialist was appointed to manage Manchester City to replace Pep Guardiola, the "Blues" leadership openly criticized his departure process and his attitude toward the club. The most surprising aspect of the statement is that the coach's name is not mentioned even once in the official text. This is reported by Goal.com reports.

The Chelsea leadership points to Enzo Maresca and his mid-season decisions as the main reason for the failure of the 2025/26 season. According to the club's statement, the coach's departure on the eve of the winter transfer window dealt a serious blow to the internal environment and results. Explaining the situation to their fans, the Londoners described the coach's actions as unprofessional.

A matter of loyalty and an unexpected resignation

According to information provided by the club, Enzo Maresca had been in negotiations with Manchester City as early as autumn, expressing his desire to take over from Pep Guardiola once he left. It is said that this situation may have negatively affected the team's performances at the time. Chelsea's management is unhappy that despite the coach having a long-term contract, his mind was already at another club.

"In December 2025, the head coach resigned unexpectedly and abruptly. We were deeply disappointed, as it became clear that despite him having been with Chelsea for only a year, his heart and mind were at another club," the club's statement reads. The Londoners emphasized that they did not want to change coaches in the middle of the season, but were forced to accept the resignation because the specialist refused to continue his responsibilities.

Financial compensation and agreement

Although relations between the parties have become strained, it has been announced that financial issues have been resolved. Manchester City and Enzo Maresca agreed to pay the appropriate compensation to Chelsea. According to unofficial reports, the amount of this compensation is approximately 17 million pounds sterling.

Chelsea's leadership stated that through this amount, they have protected the club's interests and will now focus their attention on a new project. Such open confrontation between two giants of the English Premier League is a rare occurrence in recent years, and it will undoubtedly intensify the rivalry between the teams in the coming seasons.

Recall that Enzo Maresca had previously worked in the Manchester City system and served as an assistant under Pep Guardiola. His return to the Etihad Stadium was expected by many experts, but the controversial nature of this process was unexpected for the English football community.