How well has Maresca fared in his first season at Chelsea? According to the board, he has done enough to earn a second season at the helm of things.

Enzo Maresca just wrapped up his first season as manager of Chelsea Football Club, and it has been a rollercoaster of a season. From being title contenders to struggling for the top 4 and eventually making the Champions League and winning the Europa Conference League. You can say it was a good season.

On all fronts, it seems like Maresca has not just impressed the Chelsea board but also the fans who are very hungry for results and trophies as well. 

Enzo Maresca joined Chelsea from Leicester City after gaining promotion to the Premier League with the Foxes, and Chelsea handing him a five-year contract seemed like a big mistake, but Maresca has proved that he is the right man for the job.

After losing to City in the first game, he secured 3 wins and one draw in his next 4 games. By December, Chelsea were going neck and neck with eventual Premier League winners Liverpool. A team that was called dysfunctional was in the race for the Premier League title. 

Chelsea and Maresca sold the gimmick that they weren’t title contenders so much that it became their fate. They feel from second to fifth in a matter of weeks. The Christmas and New Year period was a tough one for Chelsea fans as they struggled for points, and fans began to seriously doubt Enzo Maresca. Many said he had sold them a life that he couldn’t maintain.

It seemed very certain that they were going to crash out of the UCL spots as they had already crashed out of domestic competitions but the Italian had something up his sleeve. Slowly, Chelsea began to find their form and were grinding out wins no matter how little the scoreline was. 

In the midst of this fight for Champions League football, Chelsea were a solid favourite to win the UEFA Europa Conference League and they were making solid progress there.

Maresca not only stood a chance to win an European trophy but also be the coach who helped Chelsea win it all and that he did. Chelsea ran out 4-1 winners in the Europa Conference League final, making a historic comeback against Real Betis days after they secured Champions League qualification for the 2025/26 season after beating Nottingham Forest on the final day of the Premier League season.

Based on obvious objectives that Chelsea had this season which included securing Champions League football for the first time in two years and also winning the Conference League, it’s safe to say Maresca has excelled in his first season and in flying colours. Although there are still areas to improve on, he has earned himself the accolades he’s gotten from fans and pundits after a fine outing with the club.