Not just results – why Maresca is under pressure

Chelsea finished third in the Premier League and had just defeated Barcelona at Stamford Bridge in the Champions League at the end of November.

However, with just one league win, the bubble burst in December.

However, Enzo Maresca’s manager has been put under more pressure than just the results.

The hierarchy of the Italian club has potential fissures emerging.

Maresca stunned key players and his own staff when he claimed that “many people” had caused his “worst 48 hours” since joining the club after that solitary December league win at home to Everton.

After a strong performance and victory, those comments appeared to have been directed at the hierarchy, but they were in a weak position.

However, there were also pleasant comments from admirers, and a final decision was still needed to be made regarding whether to continue with Maresca or stay together.

With just one win in their previous seven league games, Maresca’s job has become even more threatened by Maresca’s job as Chelsea are now 15th (seven points away) than third (nine points) in the table.

Without suspended key midfielder Moises Caicedo, Chelsea travel to Manchester City without him to begin a difficult month that also includes games against Napoli and Arsenal.

Therefore, January is likely to be a turning point.

At the end of last season, Chelsea were pleased with Maresca because he had won the Uefa Conference League, which was widely anticipated, and he had also won the Club World Cup, which was a welcome surprise. This was Maresca’s most significant achievement.

Stamford Bridge’s leading figures, including owner Behdad Eghbali and sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Lawrence Stewart, expressed genuine joy and support.

In accordance with the agreed strategy when Leicester City appointed Maresca in 2024, for which the club paid £10 million, he concentrated on coaching the team while those in his position took over the management of the backroom staff, the medical department, and transfers.

The Premier League’s youngest team will still be based on the signing of the best young players from lesser leagues.

Maresca will have been aware of his commitments. His criticisms are more about how well-versed he is in his work with this young group than about the quality of his players or his strategy.

The Italian is encouraged to change his squad, but he frequently feels that his team loses points in the Premier League when he does so. He has also openly questioned the organization’s hierarchy.

Given the age of the squad, those who are familiar with his thinking claim that he has defended his work because he believes his performance is better than many people have predicted. Additionally, he thinks that the club should have protected him from negative comments from the outside.

Following recent success, Maresca has attempted to establish himself. Without Chelsea’s permission, he had the idea to publish a book, which the club had blocked, and he had the opportunity to speak at an event organized by La Gazzetta dello Sport in Trento, Italy.

Without giving club staff or senior management any prior notice, who would have prefered that discussions continue in private, he made the remarks, “Worst 48 hours.” Even his own team members were surprised by the remarks.

In addition, Maresca publicly criticised Chelsea for failing to sign a central defender following Levi Colwill’s pre-season injury. The hierarchy explained that doing so might lead Maresca to decline, which would ultimately lead to the resignation of promising academy prospect Josh Acheampong.

Additionally, there have been references to potential moves to replace Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, which Maresca has denied, as well as agents switching from the Wasserman agency to Jorge Mendes.

Additionally, he has switched to his own clothing and has increasingly opted against club tracksuits.

Chelsea have a history of disappointing December performance, having only able to score 120 points from their last seven campaigns. Only two victories were recorded between mid-December and the final week of February last year.

Chelsea has a four-game schedule in January that is jam-packed.

Before the end of the month, they travel to Fulham, Crystal Palace, Brentford, and West Ham, followed by a series of home and away Premier League matches against Manchester City and Manchester City.

Additionally, they have two crucial Champions League games at home to Pafos and away to Napoli, including an FA Cup third-round match with Charlton, a Carabao Cup semi-final first leg against Premier League leaders Arsenal, and two crucial FA Cup third-round games.

To avoid the play-off round and place in the top eight in the league phase, Chelsea must win both European games.