Chelsea's recent fall from the top four, following a dismal run of form across winter, has sparked controversy and backlash from fans. The club's manager, Enzo Maresca, has been at the center of this storm for his comments on Chelsea's ambitions for Champions League qualification.
Just a few months ago, Chelsea was viewed as an outside contender to win the Premier League title. However, after securing only two wins from their last nine games in the competition, they have now slipped outside the top four. This downturn in performance has led to increased scrutiny and criticism of Maresca and his management.
Brighton defeat sparks outrage
The 3-0 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion was particularly hard for supporters to swallow. The disappointment was further fueled when Maresca claimed that qualifying for the Champions League this year was not part of Chelsea’s target but rather aimed at 2025/26 season.
Enzo Maresca, Chelsea manager, said:
"We spent almost all of our season in the top four, now we have just 13 games to go. The target for us is to finish in the top four, to finish in the best way. We are going to try to do our best to achieve that, knowing that the difficult moment we have now is probably because of the injury situation. We have five or six players – significant players – that are out. Arsenal have injuries. [Manchester] City have injuries. We are going to try our best to win games, even with the amount of injuries we have.
"I'm not here to survive, I'm here to win games. I'm here to bring this club to fight for titles. The problem is, when you win games, you look humble, and when you don't win games, you look like you lack ambition. Since day one, when I joined this club, my intention was to win games, win titles and to bring this club where this club deserves to be. I've said this since day one."
This statement attracted widespread criticism from fans who were left furious after the game. They demanded higher standards and questioned whether Maresca had downplayed the club’s ambitions intentionally or out of necessity due to their current form.
In response to fan outrage and renewed questioning ahead of their clash with Aston Villa, Maresca assured fans that finishing in the top four is indeed Chelsea's target this season. He made these remarks during his latest press conference where he emphasized that his sights are set firmly on achieving this goal.
Fans plan protest against ownership
Maresca is not alone in attracting frustration; other figures within Chelsea have also come under fire. A group of fans are planning a protest against both ownership and sporting directors whose vision for the club they believe has fallen well short of expectations.
The recent backlash from fans has led to a reevaluation of Chelsea's goals for this season. Maresca's backtrack on his previous statement and renewed commitment to securing a top-four finish may help to quell some of the fan outrage. However, it remains to be seen whether these assurances will translate into improved performance on the pitch and meet the high standards demanded by Chelsea supporters.
