Just months after leading Chelsea to victory in the Club World Cup and the Conference League, Enzo Maresca’s tenure with the Blues came to an end on Thursday.

The club announced the decision amid sporting struggles and rising internal tensions.

“With major objectives still to be achieved across four different competitions, including the fight for qualification to the Champions League, Enzo and the club believe that a change at this moment will give the team the best chance to get the season back on track,” Chelsea said in an official statement.

Chelsea currently sit fifth in the Premier League and have recorded only one win in their last seven league matches.

Maresca, who was met with boos from the Stamford Bridge crowd during a disappointing two-all draw against Bournemouth earlier this week, was under contract until twenty twenty-nine, with an option for an additional season.

In recent weeks, however, relations between the Italian coach and the club’s leadership had significantly deteriorated.

The tension intensified following cryptic remarks Maresca made after last month’s victory over Everton, when he said he had experienced “the most difficult forty-eight hours” since arriving at the club.

He declined to elaborate, fueling speculation about behind-the-scenes issues.

Discomfort among club executives reportedly grew further after Maresca refused to hold a post-match press conference following the Bournemouth match, citing that he was unwell.

Two weeks ago, it was reported that if Pep Guardiola were to leave Manchester City in the summer, Maresca would be a leading candidate to succeed him, adding another layer of uncertainty around his position at Chelsea.

According to reports, the leading candidate to replace Maresca is English coach Liam Rosenior, currently managing Strasbourg.

The French club is owned by BlueCo, the investment group controlled by Chelsea owner Todd Boehly, and is seen as a developmental platform for players within the broader ownership structure.