There is no guarantee Enzo Maresca will be in charge for Sunday’s game against Manchester City. Chelsea’s board planned to meet on January 1, 2026, to talk about the head coach’s future after a tough stretch of results. The team have picked up just one win in their last seven Premier League matches. That has dropped them to fifth place with 30 points from 19 games.
Maresca came to Chelsea in the summer of 2024 after leading Leicester back to the top flight. He had a strong first full season, finishing fourth and winning the Conference League and Club World Cup.
Things looked good early this season too. Chelsea sat third at one point and was close to the leaders. But December changed that. They dropped points in several games, including draws and losses that fans found hard to take.
The latest was a 2-2 home draw with Bournemouth on Tuesday night. Chelsea led but let it slip. Some supporters booed at the end. Maresca did not show up for the post-match press conference. His assistant Willy Caballero said it was because Maresca felt unwell.
Later reports suggested that was not the full story. Sources close to the club say Maresca chose to skip it while he thought about his position. He has felt frustrated with parts of how the club runs things.
Tensions go back a few weeks. After a win over Everton in mid-December, Maresca said the days before had been his worst since joining Chelsea. He mentioned a lack of support from some people but would not say who.
Many think it pointed to issues with co-owner Behdad Eghbali and the sporting directors. Maresca has wanted more say in decisions, like transfers. Chelsea sticks to a plan of buying young players and developing them. That sometimes means a squad short on experience in key spots.
Fans have mixed feelings. Some blame the owners for quick changes in managers over the years. Others point to Maresca’s choices during games, like substitutions that did not work or too much rotation in the lineup. Chelsea has made more starting eleven changes than most teams this season. Critics say that hurts consistency.
The board does not plan to act right away based on one bad month. But results in January matter a lot. Chelsea faces nine games across competitions. It starts with that trip to Manchester City on Sunday.
Then come FA Cup, Carabao Cup, and Champions League matches. They sit mid-table in their Champions League group and need wins to go straight through.
If things do not turn around, talk of a change grows louder. Names like Liam Rosenior from Strasbourg have come up. He works under the same ownership group and knows the setup. But no one inside the club has confirmed any replacement talks yet.
Maresca still has a contract until 2029 with an option for another year. He has said before that he sees himself staying long-term. Just a couple of weeks ago, he brushed off links to Manchester City if Pep Guardiola leaves. He called it speculation and said he would absolutely be at Chelsea next season.
This situation feels different, though. Reports from reliable sources like Fabrizio Romano and Sky Sports say the relationship has broken down. Both sides are thinking about the future. It is not just about the next game or January results. Deeper issues are at play.
Chelsea owners have sacked managers quickly in the past. Since Todd Boehly and Clearlake took over in 2022, several have come and gone. Maresca was meant to bring stability with his long deal.
He brought trophies and Champions League football back. But Premier League form has slipped, and they are now closer to the teams below than the top spots.
Players have been given days off after the Bournemouth game. They return to training soon to prepare for City. No one knows yet if Maresca will lead that session or be on the touchline at the Etihad.
Supporters wait for news. Some want to stick with him through the rough patch. They see the young squad improving overall. Others feel the club needs a shake-up to get back to challenging for the title.
Whatever happens next, it shows how fast things can change in football. A month ago, Maresca looked safe. Now questions hang over his job. The board meeting could decide a lot. Fans hope for clarity soon, one way or the other.
Chelsea has tough games ahead. A good run could quiet the noise. A few more poor results might force a decision. For now, everyone watches closely.
