Chelsea have issued a strongly worded statement following the official appointment of Enzo Maresca as Manchester City's new manager, expressing their disappointment over the Italian's decision to leave Stamford Bridge before the end of his long-term project.
The Blues described the 2025/26 campaign as a "hugely disappointing season" and suggested that much of the instability surrounding the club stemmed from Maresca's desire to succeed Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. According to Chelsea, they first became aware of his intentions during the autumn of 2025, despite the coach being under a long-term contract.
In their statement, Chelsea stressed that Maresca had no contractual right to leave the club unilaterally and claimed his insistence on joining Manchester City forced them into an unexpected managerial change at a crucial stage of the season. The club added that they felt let down by the timing of his departure, believing it disrupted their plans both on and off the pitch.
The statement read thus,
Originally published by NotJustOk.