Chelsea Stars Flood Social Media with Tributes Following Enzo Maresca's Stunning Departure
Several Chelsea squad members turned to social media platforms to express their goodbyes to Enzo Maresca after his surprising exit on Thursday.
Maresca joined the ranks as the fourth head coach to leave Stamford Bridge since BlueCo's ownership began in 2022, experiencing similar challenges to Mauricio Pochettino in working within the framework established by management. However, unlike his Argentine predecessor, Maresca expedited his own departure rather than waiting for the customary end-of-season evaluation.
His sudden exit stunned the football community, a reaction evidently mirrored by the squad members, numerous of whom posted farewell tributes to Maresca following the announcement.
Leading the tributes was left-back Marc Cucurella, who emerged as one of the standout performers during Maresca's tenure, overcoming initial difficulties at Stamford Bridge to establish himself among the world's elite in his role.
"Grateful for everything, coach, and to your entire team," he posted on X. "For the dedication and confidence from the beginning, and for all the special moments!
"Best wishes for whatever lies ahead. Good fortune, boss!"
Team captain Reece James posted an image of himself celebrating the Club World Cup victory with Maresca, accompanied by the simple message: "Grateful, coach." Midfielder Moisés Caicedo adopted a comparable tone.
"Grateful for everything, coach," the Ecuador star posted.
Caicedo's midfield colleague, vice-captain Enzo Fernández, offered a more detailed tribute.
"Coach, grateful for all we accomplished and went through during this period," he posted. "I gained valuable knowledge and deeply appreciate every guidance and moment. Best wishes to you and your coaching team—Willy, Dani, Robi, Marcos, and Mickey.
"We secured two trophies together that will remain unforgettable. Great success to everyone, and hopefully we'll meet again down the road. Warm regards."
"Grateful for all you and your team contributed," Pedro Neto's message began. "For all the experiences, successes and confidence.
"Best wishes to you."
Reserve keeper Filip Jörgensen contributed: "Grateful, coach & entire staff. Forever thankful for all you taught me and what we accomplished together. Best of luck moving forward."
Central defenders Levi Colwill and Trevoh Chalobah both shared extensive tributes to Maresca. Colwill was instrumental last season before sustaining a severe ACL injury over the summer—disappointment regarding the board's failure to secure a replacement reportedly influenced Maresca's decision to leave.
"Not only an excellent manager but an excellent individual," Colwill noted. "Grateful for everything. It was an honor working with you and building wonderful experiences."
The decision not to recruit another defender during the summer eventually provided Chalobah with regular starting opportunities.
"Deeply grateful for everything, coach," the academy product wrote. "Your faith in me and continuous support was invaluable.
"I genuinely appreciate everything you did to help our development. Wishing you only success in your future endeavors."
Robert Sánchez, Maresca's first-choice goalkeeper throughout his time in charge, also shared a farewell message.
"Grateful for everything Enzo, Mickey, Willy, Dani, Marcos and Robi," he stated. "Deeply thankful for the confidence and experiences we created, they will stay with me always. Best wishes for your future, you'll all be missed."
John Terry Reflects on Maresca's Chelsea Exit
Current squad members weren't alone in responding to the development as club icon John Terry, who presently serves as an academy instructor, used TikTok to express his thoughts.
Terry has been mentioned as a potential successor to Maresca, with idealists on social platforms supporting him as an assistant to Como manager Cesc Fábregas. Neither candidate is thought to be seriously considered.
"The head coach, Enzo Maresca, has just been dismissed by Chelsea," he stated. "And honestly, I'm utterly surprised by this, I didn't anticipate it.
"I understand recent events haven't gone as we hoped. You can obviously observe or hear the manager's media appearances to recognize there have been disagreements.
"I've received numerous calls this morning following the announcement. Everyone assumes I'm informed about what's occurring. I have no idea what's happening. I'm not part of the senior team; I work with the academy. I don't know, but just my perspective from the outside.
"There are obviously disagreements between the manager and ownership, which led to this mutual agreement or choice. It's quite surprising.
"Looking back three, four weeks ago, we performed excellently against Barcelona. The display against Arsenal was outstanding. Fast forward four weeks to recent results, and recent displays obviously weren't satisfactory.
"Whoever takes over, this has occurred before, and we've successfully adjusted and managed. As players, you must continue forward. Unfortunately, this is part of the journey. So the squad must now rise to the occasion and handle it."