Maresca’s Chelsea Exit: Inner Peace After Trophies?

Enzo Maresca says he is leaving Chelsea with “inner peace” after an 18‑month spell that delivered three trophies and a return to the Champions League but ended amid tensions with the club’s hierarchy.
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Maresca’s exit from Chelsea

Enzo Maresca and Chelsea parted company around the turn of the year after a difficult run of league results, with the team winning just once in seven Premier League matches before his departure.
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Chelsea’s announcement described the separation in neutral terms, but reports suggest uncertainty over whether the Italian coach resigned or was formally dismissed.
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Trophies and on‑field achievements

During his 18 months in charge, Maresca guided Chelsea to the Europa Conference League title, securing the first major silverware of the current ownership era.
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He then led the club to victory at the expanded FIFA Club World Cup and clinched a top‑four Premier League finish that restored Chelsea to the Champions League after a two‑season absence.​

“Inner peace” and farewell message

In a public farewell, Maresca said he leaves with “inner peace” because he believes he has left “a prestigious club like Chelsea where it deserves to be.”
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He reflected on a journey that began in the early stages of the Conference League and culminated in global success, framing his time at Stamford Bridge as one of hard work, growth and fulfilled objectives.
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Thanks to fans, players and staff

Maresca used his statement to thank Chelsea supporters, saying their backing was vital in winning the Conference League, lifting the Club World Cup and pushing the team back into Europe’s top competition.
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He also paid tribute to his players and backroom staff for embracing his methods and maintaining what he called “professionalism and commitment” throughout his tenure.

Tensions behind the departure

Despite the silverware, Maresca’s relationship with the club’s senior leadership is reported to have deteriorated, with the coach frustrated by the level of interference in sporting decisions.
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Observers noted that his farewell message did not mention the ownership, a pointed omission widely interpreted as a sign that structural and boardroom issues, rather than purely results, lay behind his Chelsea exit.
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