Chelsea’s two extraordinary Enzo Maresca digs read live on Sky Sports as feud gets ugly

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Chelsea have delivered two rather remarkable swipes at former head coach Enzo Maresca following the announcement of his exit on Thursday. The Blues were restricted to a 2-2 draw against Bournemouth earlier this week, with reports quickly emerging after the final whistle that the boss' position was under scrutiny.

Within 48 hours, his departure was confirmed, leaving Chelsea searching for a replacement. Maresca, who previously worked under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City , steered Leicester City to promotion during the 2023/24 campaign.

He then replaced Mauricio Pochettino at Stamford Bridge that summer, ultimately guiding the club to Club World Cup triumph in 2025.

Nevertheless, Premier League performances have been problematic, despite achieving Champions League qualification last season. This term, Chelsea have secured victory in merely eight of their 19 league fixtures, with six draws and five defeats.

Matters reached breaking point this week after the Bournemouth draw, resulting in a statement announcing Maresca's exit on New Year's Day. In a concise 99-word announcement issued on Thursday, the club declared: "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."

Nevertheless, it was some of the club's subsequent briefings that caused considerable surprise. During Sky Sports ' coverage of Thursday's Premier League matches, presenter David Jones relayed comments from the club that had been briefed to journalists, which contained two rather remarkable criticisms.

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"The 48 hour comment was directed at the medical team at Stamford Bridge that he wasn't happy with," Jones revealed. "There is a suggestion Maresca went against the advice of the medical team at Chelsea on a number occasions.

"Playing players returning from injury longer than advised, leading to them being re-injured this season. He did not face the media on Tuesday and he wasn't ill we are being told.

"It is also being briefed that he spoke to Manchester City and Juventus since October. Despite briefing the club [Chelsea], they thought it was disrespectful.

"The feeling at Chelsea is that he has a lack of mental fortitude and emotional maturity," the Sky presenter concluded.

Chelsea have now commenced the search for Maresca's replacement, but will be overseen by their under-21s head coach, Calum McFarlane, in the interim. Strasbourg boss Liam Rosenior is the current frontrunner to take over.

The Blues are set to face Manchester City away this Sunday (5.30pm), followed by a challenging away match against local rivals Fulham next Wednesday.

Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.