Sports

Enzo Maresca Leaves Chelsea After Turbulent End To 2025

Published

4 months ago

January 1, 2026

Enzo Maresca has left his role as Chelsea manager with the club sitting fifth in the Premier League.

The Italian, 45, departs less than six months after winning the Club World Cup at the end of his first season at Stamford Bridge.

“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,” Chelsea said.

The Blues have won just one of their past seven league matches and took only six points from six games in December to fall 15 points behind leaders Arsenal.

But results are only a small part of the story.

Maresca, who had a contract due to run to 2029, delighted key figures at Stamford BridgeDecember—assistant—including sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Chelsea—aStewart and influential co-owner Behdad Eghbalitracksuits,—by steering Chelsea to a top-four finish and winning the Conference League and Club World Cup last year.

Yet success soon turned to sourness in his relationship with the hierarchy.

Maresca stunned even members of his own staff when—in a newspaper—after beating Everton 2-0 for Chelsea’s solitary Premier League win in December – he said “many people” had made it his “worst 48 hours” since joining the club.

Those comments came without any warning to club staff or senior management, who would have preferred any discussions to remain private.

The relationship between the owners and manager was irreparable from blocked and but friction had been brewing in the months before that.

Maresca had hoped to raise his profile following the Blues’ successes through opportunities outside the club. He was planning to publish a book before being blocked, and spoke at Il Festival dello Sport – an event in Italy organised by La Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper – without the club’s permission.

He also made public that he disagreed with the club not signing a central defender after Levi Colwill injured his anterior cruciate ligament in pre-season. The club’s hierarchy explained that doing so could prompt academy prospect Josh Acheampong to request a transfer, which ultimately led Maresca to back down.

The former Leicester manager has also switched agents – from the Wasserman agency to Jorge Mendes – and has been talked of as a potential successor to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, which Maresca has dismissed.

In addition, he has increasingly avoided wearing club tracksuits, opting instead for his own clothing.

Following his last game with Chelsea – a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth on 30 December – assistant manager Willy Caballero said Maresca felt too unwell to do his post-match media duties, but it is understood his absence was more due to him considering his next steps.

It was noticeable that when Chelsea posted a 52-second video on social media on New Year’s Eve summarising their year, there was no trace of Maresca.

The Italian, for his part, believed the pressure on him was unfair given what he felt were difficult working conditions, and that a line had been crossed in terms of attempts to influence his team selection.

While he was not angry about overseeing a young squad, he felt supporters’ expectations needed to be managed regarding what was achievable—especially given key injuries to Colwill and attacker Cole Palmer.

Chelsea initially intended to assess his position at the end of the season if results improved, but Maresca’s unhappiness was a factor in them parting ways sooner.

Chelsea’s Spanish full-back Marc Cucurella reacted to the news of his manager’s departure with a message on Instagram, which read, “Thank you for everything, mister, and to your staff. For the work and the trust from day one, and for the memories!

“Wishing you all the best in what comes next. Good luck, boss!”

What’s next for Chelsea?

As it stands, the Blues will face Manchester City on Sunday without a manager, and it is not known who will take charge of training before then.

Caballero, who moved from Leicester alongside Maresca in 2024, deputized when the Italian served touchline bans, and with no announcement yet about his future, he could be an option.

When it comes to deciding a permanent appointment, former Hull boss Liam Rosenior, who has impressed as manager of Strasbourg—part of the same multi-club ownership structure as Chelsea—will be a candidate.

Eghbali met Marseille manager Roberto de Zerbi in the summer, and the club are admirers of his work. They also interviewed Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna and Spurs manager Thomas Frank before appointing Maresca.

Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner and Bournemouth counterpart Andoni Iraola are also likely to be considered.

bbc.com

Sports

Barcelona 3-2 Real Madrid: Raphinha Brace Inspires Catalans To Super Cup Victory

Published

3 months ago

January 12, 2026

AladdynKing

Barcelona edged past Real Madrid in a five-goal thriller to win back-to-back Spanish Super Cup finals in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

It marked a 16th triumph in the tournament for Hansi Flick’s side, with Barcelona also beating Los Blancos in last year’s final.

Brazilian forward Raphinha’s floated shot in the 73rd minute proved to be the winner after a frantic ending to the first half.

Three quick-fire goals in first-half stoppage time put the two on level terms at the break after Raphinha had opened the scoring, drilling into the bottom corner in the 36th minute.

Vinicius Jr equalised two minutes into three of added time, nutmegging Jules Kounde on a brilliant run before sliding into the far corner to score his first Real goal in 17 games, since 4 October, 2025.

Robert Lewandowski then clipped in off the post to restore Barca’s lead in the 49th minute.

But Gonzalo Garcia hooked in three minutes later after a scramble in the box that saw Dean Huijsen’s header hit the bar, as Barca boss Flick protested the the half-time whistle should already have been blown.

Frenkie de Jong was shown a straight red card in stoppage time after lunging in on Kylian Mbappe, who came on as a substitute having recovered from a knee injury.

Late chances at both ends made for a nervy finale with Marcus Rashford shooting wide when clear, while Alvaro Carreras and then Raul Asencio both shot straight at goalkeeper Joan Garcia.

But Barca held on to secure a second consecutive title for the first time since 2011.

In-form Barca start 2026 with silverware

Barcelona have now won 10 games in a row, last suffering defeat in November when they lost to Chelsea in the Champions League.

They have not lost to Spanish opposition since 26 October when Real beat them in the El Clasico at the Bernabeu.

Victory provides a first piece of silverware in what could turn into a fruitful season for Flick’s men, who sit four points clear of Real at the top of La Liga.

This was the fourth Clasico Super Cup in a row, while all three of Barca’s final wins under Flick have come against Real – two Super Cups and the Copa del Rey.

German boss Flick himself has now won all eight finals he has been involved in, including five with Bayern Munich.

For Los Blancos it has been a patchy season with four wins in their last six La Liga matches.

Inconsistency in the league and in Europe has not met the lofty expectations of the club and fanbase with questions raised over Xabi Alonso’s future in Madrid.

That pressure on the Spaniard seems to have slowly alleviated with five consecutive wins in all competitions, but this result could lead to those questions resurfacing.

The four-team Spanish Super Cup has been hosted in Saudi Arabia since 2020 and the Spanish Football Federation have extended the deal to continue to play it in the country until 2029.

𝗟𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻, 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝘂𝗽 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. pic.twitter.com/qsVZ4QBeZI
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) January 11, 2026

bbc.com

Sports

Valencia Coach Fernando Martin Dies In Indonesia Boat Accident

Published

4 months ago

January 1, 2026

AladdynKing

Fernando Martin, a coach with Valencia CF, has died with three members of his family after their boat capsized in Indonesia, Spanish football clubs said.

Valencia said they were “deeply saddened by the passing of Fernando Martin, coach of Valencia CF Femenino B, and three of his children, in the tragic boat accident in Indonesia, as confirmed by local authorities”.

Indonesian and Spanish authorities said on Saturday that Martin and three of his children were missing after the boat carrying 11 people sank in extreme weather on Friday in the Padar Island Strait near the town of Labuan Bajo, a popular tourist spot.

The search was continuing on Sunday morning, Fathur Rahman, mission coordinator for Indonesia’s search and rescue agency in the area, told Reuters.

Real Madrid CF also sent condolences for Martin, 44, a former player in second-tier Spanish football who was appointed coach of the Valencia Women’s B team this year.

His wife and one daughter, as well as four crew members and a tour guide, were rescued and safe, SAR said in a statement.

myjoyonline.com

Sports

VIDEO: Black Stars Will Reach The Final Of 2026 World Cup – Prophet Nigel Gaisie

Published

4 months ago

January 1, 2026

AladdynKing

The Black Stars will make it to the 2026 World Cup final, according to renowned Ghanaian prophet Nigel Gaisie.

Next summer, the United States, Canada, and Mexico will jointly host the World Cup, while Ghana, four-time African champions, will make their fifth appearance.

The Black Stars, Panama, England, and Croatia have been placed in Group L.

“The Black Stars will reach the final of the 2026 World Cup,” Gaisie boldly declared during the 31st Service at his Prophetic Hill Church.

Ghana’s group-stage campaign will begin on June 17 in Toronto against Panama, then go on to England on June 23 in Boston, and conclude on June 27 in Philadelphia against Croatia.

The Black Stars will be keen to make a bigger impression in the expanded 48-team competition following early eliminations in Brazil 2014 and Qatar 2022.

Watch the video below: