Dismissed, Chelsea's coach still shows a deeply 'humane' gesture

In an era where modern coaches often fiercely fight to protect their own rights, Maresca's choice is considered rare and full of character.

Enzo Maresca's decision to part ways with Chelsea not only shook the Stamford Bridge internal environment but also surprised experts when the Italian strategist voluntarily gave up a compensation package worth around 14 million pounds.

Maresca left Chelsea on New Year's Day, after his relationship with the club's management reportedly broke down irreparably. According to multiple sources in England, the Italian coach felt his role was continuously undermined, especially regarding on-field technical decisions. This led him to see no future at the London club.

Previously, Maresca signed a 5-year contract with an option to extend for another 12 months, earning about 4 million pounds per season when he joined Chelsea in 2024. Leaving after only 18 months meant he still had a large unpaid amount in his contract. However, instead of negotiating compensation, Maresca chose to leave quietly without making any financial demands.

Notably, this departure came less than 5 months after Chelsea, under Maresca's leadership, won the FIFA Club World Cup, following their success in the Conference League. These titles earned the 45-year-old coach much praise and strengthened his standing in European coaching circles.

Nevertheless, Chelsea claimed that Maresca lacked emotional maturity in handling conflicts. In response, the Italian coach's representatives completely denied the claim that he deliberately used interest from Juventus or Manchester City to pressure for a new deal.

Under owner Todd Boehly, Chelsea has continued to show instability on the coaching bench, having changed four permanent head coaches and two interim managers in less than four years. Maresca's exit marks the search for the fifth head coach, highlighting systemic issues at Stamford Bridge.