Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has come under the microscope after his side’s form fell off a cliff in 2025.
Back-to-back defeats to Brighton & Hove Albion have intensified pressure on the 45-year-old amid the Blues’ faltering quest to return to the Champions League.
Dreams of fighting for the Premier League titles are long gone as Maresca’s charges face an uphill task to secure a coveted top-four finish after hitting a rough patch.
Heading into Saturday’s away game against Aston Villa, Chelsea trail fourth-placed Manchester City by a point despite alternating between winning and losing across their last four league outings.
Another upset would put Maresca in a more awkward position as the season enters a crunch phase, especially if their direct rivals get favourable results.
Reassurances
Speculation over Maresca’s potential successor at Stamford Bridge has begun to fill the Chelsea news feed, given the club’s trigger-happy reputation with recent managers.
However, Chelsea director Jonathan Goldstein has publicly offered support to the former Leicester City boss, admitting he’ll see out the season.
“He is doing a great job. Chelsea have started the season very well,” Goldstein told BloombergTV via the Evening Standard.
“The last six weeks [they] have been finding their feet a little bit more.
“But Enzo has clearly done a great job in bringing the team together, bringing the talent through, and we’re very optimistic for the rest of the season and how that plays out.”
Asked if Maresca would remain at the helm until the summer, Goldstein quickly replied: “100 per cent.”
Doubts
Meanwhile, former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Jamie O’Hara believes Maresca’s job could be under immediate threat unless he turns Chelsea’s fortunes around soon.
“Enzo Maresca is struggling a bit at Chelsea,” O’Hara said, as relayed by the Daily Mirror. “Right now, the football Chelsea are playing under him is starting to feel turgid for some fans.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if Maresca is gone by the end of the season. If Chelsea don’t improve, the club could be looking for a replacement in the summer.
“They’ve invested heavily in a young squad, and if Maresca isn’t delivering – which, right now, he isn’t – I think they’ll bring in a big-name manager.”
O’Hara was the latest football pundit to express their concern over Maresca’s stewardship and his inability to establish team chemistry at the Bridge.
Now or never
Chelsea’s hopes of returning to the premier European competition may hinge on their results in the next five matches.
Already out of both domestic cup competitions, they only have the Europa Conference League as a distraction.
However, clinching a top-four finish in the Premier League remains a priority.
The upcoming trip to Villa Park, though daunting on paper, could serve as a turning point for the Blues.
Maresca’s charges have emerged victorious from three of their last four visits to Birmingham, with each win yielding multi-goal margins.
Adding to that tally should set Chelsea up perfectly for a routine-looking home clash against rock-bottom Southampton.
London fest
While the Blues should have three points in the bag against the Saints every day of the week, Maresca’s former side, Leicester, could throw a spanner in the works.
However, the Italian better hopes the Foxes’ visit to West London won’t cause his team problems as they have two potentially season-defining London derbies waiting around the corner.
An away match against title-bidding Arsenal will test Chelsea’s top-four credentials and prepare them for a home clash against underachieving Tottenham Hotspur.
Despite Spurs’ topsy-turvy nature under Ange Postecoglou, this fixture could determine the course of the Blues’ season, especially if they fail to scoop up three points.
Matches against fellow cross-capital rivals may also decide Maresca’s future in the dugout.