Enzo Maresca parted ways with Chelsea earlier this week, as the Blues scramble to appoint a successor – and Mikel Arteta has now shared his feelings on the Italian head coach
Mikel Arteta has shown his class by praising rival boss Enzo Maresca for doing a “terrific job” at Chelsea, following the Italian’s shock departure from Stamford Bridge – which has left many scratching their heads. The bombshell dropped on Thursday morning that the Blues had parted ways with their head coach of a year-and-a-half.
The 45-year-old had only mustered one win from his last seven games, and a breakdown in relationships behind the scenes saw his position become untenable.
Chelsea’s official statement read: “Chelsea Football Club and Head Coach Enzo Maresca have parted company. During his time at the Club, Enzo led the team to success in the UEFA Conference League and the FIFA Club World Cup.
“Those achievements will remain an important part of the Club’s recent history, and we thank him for his contributions to the Club.
“With key objectives still to play for across four competitions including qualification for Champions League football, Enzo and the Club believe a change gives the team the best chance of getting the season back on track. We wish Enzo well for the future.”
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Arsenal boss Arteta has now weighed in on the decision made earlier this week. During a pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday’s showdown between Arsenal and Bournemouth, the Spaniard offered his thoughts: “Well, I wish him all the best.”
He added: “I really like Enzo as a person, as a profession. I think he’s done a terrific job at Chelsea, and that’s a decision that has been made, and I just wish him all the best.”
If Maresca has performed so impressively with Chelsea, it raises questions about why the Blues opted to sever ties with the manager, who steered his side to Club World Cup glory last summer. At present, Chelsea occupy fifth spot in the Premier League table with eight victories, six draws and five defeats from their campaign.
Yet, table-toppers Arsenal have established a commanding 15-point advantage over their capital rivals, as Chelsea’s aspirations of claiming the Premier League crown fade with each passing week.
In the Champions League, Maresca secured three victories, one draw and two defeats for the west London outfit, who currently sit in 13th position and appear on course to progress to the knockout rounds.
Chelsea also remain in contention across both domestic cup competitions, preparing to meet Arsenal in the League Cup semi-finals later this month, whilst also facing a tie against Charlton in the FA Cup. Despite delivering encouraging displays on the field, it seems Maresca’s relationship with the Stamford Bridge hierarchy had deteriorated before his departure.
The manager criticised a perceived absence of backing in what he described as the “worst 48 hours” of his spell following a 3-1 defeat to Leeds United last month. Reflecting on the situation, he said: “The way the players want to learn has been fantastic and this is the reason why I praise them – because with so many problems, they are doing very well after a complicated week.
“Since I joined the club, the last 48 hours have been the worst because many people didn’t support us.”
Football.London understands that Maresca’s grievances were rooted in tensions with his medical team, including pulling players prematurely from injury. Following his departure from the club, numerous candidates have been touted as potential successors at Chelsea.
Liam Rosenior is currently the bookies’ favourite to take charge given his recent achievements with Strasbourg. His most recent stint in England spanned 2022 to 2024, during which he narrowly missed out on securing Championship promotion with Hull, finishing seventh and just outside the play-off places.
Meanwhile, Oliver Glasner, Filipe Luis, Cesc Fabregas and Francesco Farioli have all been mooted by supporters and betting firms as possible contenders for the Stamford Bridge hot seat, though it remains to be seen who will be handed the role in west London.
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