Enzo Maresca sacked?! Chelsea boss faces axe if results do not improve in January after one win in seven league games

In a new report from Sky Sports, Chelsea are believed to be considering whether to dismiss Maresca following a torrid December which saw the club drop out of the title race and down to fifth in the league table.

The west Londoners suffered defeats against Leeds United and Atalanta across the league and Champions League at the start of the month, with Maresca’s side also 13th in the standings of Europe’s premier club competition, meaning they realistically need to beat Pafos and Napoli in their final two games to stand a chance of automatically qualifying for the last 16.

Chelsea also drew twice with Bournemouth and once with Newcastle United in December, while they were beaten 2-1 by Aston Villa last Saturday - a result which meant they had lost 13 points from winning positions in the league this season, six of which have been thrown away at Stamford Bridge.

Maresca’s men did book their place in the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup, where they will face Arsenal over two legs next month, though their 3-1 victory over League One leaders Cardiff City was to be expected.

In Chelsea’s only other victory in December, Maresca raised eyebrows when saying the lead up to his side’s 2-0 league win over David Moyes’ Everton was his “worst 48 hours” since his appointment in June 2024.

When quizzed on who he was talking about when citing a perceived lack of support, the 45-year-old insisted he "loves" the Chelsea fans, leading many people to wonder whether he was criticising a lack of encouragement from the club's co-owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, who are led by Behdad Eghbali.

Maresca said in his post-match press conference: “This is the reason why I praise the players because with so many problems they are doing very well after a complicated week. Since I joined the club the last 48 hours has been the worst 48 hours since I joined the club because many people didn’t support us. So very happy for Malo (Gusto) in that moment that the effort from Malo and the rest showed that they are all there and want to help this club.

"Worst 48 hours since I joined the club because people didn’t support me and the team. In general. I love the fans, and I am very happy with the fans."

Following his remarks after the Everton game, in addition to Chelsea’s worrying form, Sky Sports claim Maresca needs to arrest the club’s slide in January if he is to remain at SW6.

Chelsea kick-start 2026 with a daunting trip to high-flying Manchester City on Sunday, with influential midfielder Moises Caicedo suspended for the game at the Etihad Stadium following an accumulation of yellow cards.

Maresca’s charges will then open up their FA Cup campaign with an away trip to Championship strugglers Charlton Athletic on Saturday, 10 January, before they entertain Arsenal in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final tie four days later.

Caicedo is also suspended for that match, having picked up cautions in the previous tournament wins over Wolverhampton Wanderers and Cardiff City respectively, with the second leg taking place on Tuesday, 3 February at the Emirates Stadium.

Chelsea will also play host to Cypriot minnows Pafos in the Champions League on Wednesday, 21 January, while the two-time competition winners will wrap up their league phase commitments with a trip to Napoli - who are managed by former Blues boss Antonio Conte - a week later. 

Maresca’s side are currently 13th in the standings - two points outside of the top eight, who automatically qualify for the last 16.

Chelsea also face league games against Fulham (away, Wednesday 7 January), Brentford (home, Saturday 17 January) and Crystal Palace (away, Sunday 25 January) next month.

After steering Leicester City to promotion to the Premier League in 2023-24, Maresca was appointed Chelsea manager on a five-year contract. He replaced Mauricio Pochettino at the Stamford Bridge helm after the Argentine left by mutual consent after just one season at the club.

And in his first full season in charge, Maresca steered Chelsea to both the Conference League and the FIFA Club World Cup, while the club also finished fourth in the Premier League, ensuring their qualification for this season's Champions League.