Pep to leave at the end of the season

[foggy1974]

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Chelsea to launch legal complaint over Man City’s Enzo Maresca pursuit​

Stamford Bridge club unhappy with the effect Italian’s abrupt departure had on their season which could result in no European football

Chelsea are shaping up for a legal battle with Manchester City over their putative appointment of Enzo Maresca, who left Stamford Bridge in contested circumstances at the start of the year.
With Pep Guardiola expected to leave City after a decade in charge, the first choice to replace him is the Italian who departed Chelsea abruptly earlier this season. Although the terms of that split have never been commented on publicly by either side, the allegation that Maresca had told Chelsea’s ownership that he was in talks with City has not been disputed.
The expectation is that Chelsea will seek compensation from City, with the added threat of disclosure about the terms of Maresca’s departure from Stamford Bridge, and the events in the months leading up to it. Neither club have commented on the situation.
For any action to be brought against City it is understood that a complaint would have to be made by Chelsea to the Premier League, which would then be obliged to investigate under the terms of its own rules.
It is expected that the legal case Chelsea have in that regard will unfold when, as expected, Maresca is appointed by City. That announcement may take some time given the significance of Guardiola’s departure. Maresca, 46, has said nothing in public since his Chelsea departure at a time when the club were fifth. Although Chelsea have not confirmed, it is understood that there was no major compensation pay-out to the Italian.
Chelsea had started to fall away this season in the final weeks leading up to Maresca’s sacking on Jan 2. The team were on a run of just one win in seven Premier League games with suggestions from inside the club that all was not well. By the end, his position was considered untenable by the club.

Maresca’s record at Chelsea​

It culminated in him skipping post-match media duties following a draw with Bournemouth. Before that run of poor results, Chelsea had been in second place in the Premier League and there remains considerable disquiet at the club that the Maresca departure undermined their season. The arrival of Liam Rosenior as Maresca’s successor did not work out as Chelsea would have wished and the club is currently on its fourth managerial appointment of the season.
City have been obliged to plan at different points over recent years when it looked like Guardiola might be wavering in his future. There have been times in the past when they have looked closely at lining up another assistant of his, Mikel Arteta, the Arsenal manager currently in pole position to win the Premier League this season.
Maresca is well-known to City Football Group, having been part of the City staff on two occasions – one year in charge of the club’s Under-23s in 2020-2021 and then as a first-team assistant to Guardiola in the 2022-2023 season.
He was appointed by Chelsea as the Championship-winning manager of Leicester City in the summer of 2024. He won the Uefa Conference League in his first season and then the Fifa Club World Cup, having studiously avoided any controversy. The relationship with Chelsea broke down in a relatively short space of time. After the win over Everton on Dec 13, Maresca said that he had experienced “the worst 48 hours” of his career – interpreted as a direct attack on Chelsea and its BlueCo ownership.
That was later understood to be around the issue of return to play for injured players. Nevertheless, it was interpreted on some sides as deliberately provocative.
Without a win in their last seven Premier League games, Chelsea play Tottenham Hotspur at home on Tuesday night currently out of the European places in tenth position. The club have appointed Xabi Alonso and his coaching team to take over in the summer. City play Bournemouth when only a win will keep the title race alive.

It's obviously ragebait to get rival fans posting that we've done something dodgy

So Chelsea inserted a clause into Marescas' contract that he had to inform them if ge spoke to another team, Maresca informed them when he spoke to City & Chelsea decided to sack him for doing as his contract instructed

 

[Sid C]

This from Chelsea at the time:

“ With key objectives still to play for across four competitions including qualification for Champions League football, Enzo and the club believe a change gives the team the best chance of getting the season back on track”

Doesn’t sound like Chelsea wanted to keep him and apparently Enzo didn’t take a payout when he went. Very interesting.

I think not taking a payout says it all.

 

[Tugay One Cup]

If there was a clause in Maresca’s contract that made him inform Chelsea of any contact with City, there’s likely to be a release clause in it too, spelling out how much money it would take to go to City.

That only really leaves tapping up, which all clubs do, so I doubt they’ll pursue that.

You'd think so but their higher ups don't seem like the brightest bunch.

 

[blueste41]

Of course he will leave one day, that doesn’t mean that just because a click fest has started we should believe any of them.
With the amount of nonsense on Social Media I will only believe he is leaving when the club or Pep tells us so.

This is more than a click fest, he's leaving this season but you do you.

 

[RayCTID]

Nope he left

They can't moan with this.

 

[Blu1]

Why are we not brining vinnie home ?
Much prefer kompany & he’s ready

 

[Ban-jani]

Why are we not brining vinnie home ?
Much prefer kompany & he’s ready

Because he’s not available.

 

[sput the wonder pig]

Not all lost then pudgey has extended

 

[Eric Hitchmough]

Hope this isn’t true:

: Chelsea are shaping up for a LEGAL BATTLE with Manchester City over Enzo Maresca!

The allegation that Maresca had told Chelsea’s ownership that he was in talks with City has not been disputed. The expectation is that Chelsea will seek compensation from City, with the added threat of disclosure about the terms of Maresca’s departure from Stamford Bridge, and the events in the months leading up to it.

For any action to be brought against City it is understood that a complaint would have to be made by Chelsea to the Premier League, which would then be obliged to investigate under the terms of its own rules. The legal case Chelsea have in that regard will unfold when Maresca’s appointment is made official.

Sam Wallace

116

 

[ufo]

Dan Roan is a fucking disgrace, although I don’t know why I’m remotely surprised.

He couldn’t type ‘115 charges’ quick enough for that piece of shit feature he’s published on BBC Football this afternoon.

wtf small dick energy

 

[pace89]

Why are we not brining vinnie home ?
Much prefer kompany & he’s ready

Presumably because he's on to a good thing at Bayern, doesn't want to leave yet and certainly doesn't want to follow Pep at City.

 

[waspish]

If there was a clause in Maresca’s contract that made him inform Chelsea of any contact with City, there’s likely to be a release clause in it too, spelling out how much money it would take to go to City.

That only really leaves tapping up, which all clubs do, so I doubt they’ll pursue that.

Also am sure they allow him to talk to clubs as long as he tells them who they were!

 

[give it to gordon]

Think he will be the next England manager. Not sure how I’d feel about that

I dont see Pep as a national team manager. It takes any new signing months to understand Peps football. Cant see a week here and a week there being enough time to get his style of player across

 

[ufo]

Right wing..........

Does right wing track back ?

 

[Longdarnit Blue]

If there was a clause in Maresca’s contract that made him inform Chelsea of any contact with City, there’s likely to be a release clause in it too, spelling out how much money it would take to go to City.

That only really leaves tapping up, which all clubs do, so I doubt they’ll pursue that.

If they do pursue it let’s not panic, let’s call Agent Pannick and it’ll be 115 years before they reach a verdict.

 

[RayCTID]

Think he will be the next England manager. Not sure how I’d feel about that

I will take an interest in the national side if Pep did take over from Tuchel. But there are major issues if that happened.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

If they do pursue it let’s not panic, let’s call Agent Pannick and it’ll be 115 years before they reach a verdict.

Or offer to buy one of their burger vans for PSR.

 

[Matheus Cafunes]

Interesting article on Maresca's stint at Chelsea - it's a good read: https://totalfootballanalysis.com/h...sca-tactics-chelsea-2025-2026-what-went-wrong

 

[p.taker]

I dont see Pep as a national team manager. It takes any new signing months to understand Peps football. Cant see a week here and a week there being enough time to get his style of player across

I agree with you, but he has spoken openly about managing Brazil before (even coaching in South America in general). Three Lions though? No chance

 

[FogBlueInSanFran]

I dont see Pep as a national team manager. It takes any new signing months to understand Peps football. Cant see a week here and a week there being enough time to get his style of player across

I’ve been thinking the same. But, as such, I wonder if such a challenge might be exactly what he needs. To your point, he’d have to adapt in order to be successful on that stage. So what wins out — the man’s ambition, or his stubbornness (meant in a positive way) to holding football to the ideal he has?

If he does move to an NT, I’d figure it’s Italy.