Inside Chelsea's 'crazy 24 hours' as interim coach tasked with stopping Man City & Guardiola | OneFootball

It's been a busy 24 hours at Chelsea after the departure of head coach Enzo Maresca to begin 2026.

Maresca's exit, which was confirmed in a 99-word statement from Chelsea on New Year's Day, came three days before their Premier League fixture away to Manchester City on January 4.

The Chelsea squad returned to their Cobham training base on Friday to begin preparations for their trip to the Etihad, with the club's Under-21s head coach Calum McFarlane being handed the responsibility to take charge of the team against Pep Guardiola's side.

After taking charge of Friday's morning training session, he was tasked with facing the media to preview Sunday's clash.

McFarlane, who will oversee his first senior game in professional football, offered an insight to a 'whirlwind 24 hours' which he has very much enjoyed as he steps into Maresca's vacant hotseat whilst Chelsea search for a permanent successor.

IMAGO / NurPhoto

"It's been a crazy 24 hours," admitted McFarlane. "A whirlwind, as you can imagine. But also really enjoyable and really exciting. I can only feel positive about it. It's an amazing experience."

McFarlane was officially introduced to the Chelsea squad on Friday morning before training commenced, with the interim boss hailing the squad's application as they prepare for a 'massive game'.

He added: "I think there's a really good culture at the club in terms of their support from the first team, from the directors. Everyone seems interested. When we've had big youth league games in the Youth Champions League, the first team players are coming across and watching.

"There's obviously a bit of an academy presence there as well. I met with a few of the individuals beforehand, but I was officially introduced this morning.

"You don't know what to expect really, but the energy, enthusiasm and training was exceptional today. They seem really focused. They're really driven and hungry. They know we've got a massive game on Sunday and we're going to have to be at our best. You can feel that. They're professionals. They've done this a long time. They've been here before."

From left to right: Todd Boehly, Paul Winstanley and Behdad Eghbali are now tasked with finding Maresca's replacement. | IMAGO / Sportimage

McFarlane was quick to hail club captain Reece James, who was among those who penned a farewell message to departing Maresca, for his leadership and support.

"Reece has been brilliant," McFarlane continued. "He's been a real leader in the group and supported the staff and the players. You can't ask for any more. It just seems like a real focus for getting the best performance we can on Sunday."

Chelsea come up against a Man City side who have a terrific record against the Blues - they are unbeaten in their last eight league games (W6 D2).

Despite it being a huge clash and also McFarlane's first senior game in charge, he is not fazed by the challenge of stepping into the limelight. His focus remains on preparing Chelsea as best as possible to get a result.

"Ultimately, it's a football match," concluded the 40-year-old. "It's not really about me or my first game or playing against Pep. It's about Chelsea versus City. Two top sides. We'll go there and compete. We've seen this year how this team can do in big moments. We're really looking forward to that challenge.

"The team needs to be prepared and ready for the game on Sunday and our job as a staff is to give them the best opportunity to perform in that arena, in that environment. It's about giving the players the support they need to go and execute the performance."