Enzo Maresca breaks silence on shock Chelsea exit: 'I leave with inner peace'

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Evening Standard

·6 January 2026

Enzo Maresca breaks silence on shock Chelsea exit: 'I leave with inner peace'

Italian bid fans farewell after delivering first silverware of BlueCo era

Enzo Maresca has broken his silence on his Chelsea exit and says he “leaves with inner peace” after leaving the club in a better place than it was when he took over.

The Italian departed the club on New Year’s Day after 18 months as head coach after his relationship with the Chelsea hierarchy quickly deteriorated.

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Maresca was hired in July 2024 and guided Chelsea to a fifth-place finish last season, as well as winning the Conference League and Club World Cup in the summer. They were the first two trophies Chelsea have won in the BlueCo era.

When he left on New Year's Day, Chelsea's form had dipped and they had won just two of their last nine games.

On Tuesday, just hours after Strasbourg head coach Liam Rosenior was announced as the new Chelsea head coach, Maresca released a statement on Instagram reflecting on his departure from Stamford Bridge.

It read: “LEAVE THIS WORLD A LITTLE BETTER THAN YOU FOUND IT.

“My journey with Chelsea began with the preliminary rounds of the Conference League. I leave with the inner peace of leaving a prestigious club like Chelsea where it deserves to be.

“I want to thank all the Chelsea fans for their support over the last 18 months. Support that was crucial to achieving Champions League qualification, winning the Conference League, and winning the Club World Cup.”

The statement added: “Victories that I will always hold in my heart! A special thank you to all the players who have accompanied me on this wonderful journey.

“I wish everyone who has shared every moment with me every success in this second half of the season and in the future.

“Thank you, CHELSEA, from me and my family.”