Pedro Neto admits surprise at Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea exit

Pedro Neto has admitted he was surprised by Enzo Maresca’s sudden departure from Chelsea, describing the Italian’s exit as “unbelievable” after a period of growing tension behind the scenes at Stamford Bridge.

Maresca officially left Chelsea on January 1, with both parties acknowledging that their relationship had broken down beyond repair. While speculation had swirled for weeks, the timing and manner of the decision still caught many players off guard.

Chelsea winger Pedro Neto was among those to publicly thank Maresca following the announcement, and he expanded on his feelings during a Sky Sports appearance.

“After the game against Bournemouth, of course we wanted to win and we were all upset,” Neto explained. “And then when I heard the news, to be honest, in the beginning I was a little bit surprised, because the manager did very good for us.

“He did an unbelievable season last year and he was doing a good season this year. Of course, we always want to do better.”

Neto admitted the news hit him on a personal level, given the role Maresca played in his development.

“For me, I was a little bit sad because he was the manager that helped me a lot,” he said. “I learned a lot with him. On personal terms, he was unbelievable as well. The only thing I can say is thank you, but this is football.”

Maresca’s departure stood out because it was not driven by results or a loss of player support. As Neto’s comments suggest, the Italian remained popular within the squad.

Following Chelsea’s 2–2 draw with Bournemouth, Maresca failed to attend his post-match press conference, with assistant Willy Caballero initially citing illness. It later emerged that Maresca was not unwell and had requested to leave the club that very evening.

Reports indicate he did not address the squad after the final whistle, instead changing and leaving the stadium immediately. That sequence of events aligns with Neto’s admission that players sensed something was wrong.

The split is understood to have stemmed from ongoing friction with Chelsea’s hierarchy rather than performances on the pitch. Disputes over transfers, squad rotation and restrictions imposed by the medical department all contributed to mounting frustration.

Maresca’s reaction after the Bournemouth draw did little to ease tensions, ultimately accelerating a decision that had been brewing behind closed doors.

With Maresca gone, attention has turned to Chelsea’s immediate future. Under-21 coach Calum McFarlane will take charge of the first team for Sunday’s Premier League clash against Manchester City.

In the longer term, Liam Rosenior has emerged as the leading candidate to take over permanently, though no appointment has yet been confirmed.

For the players, Neto insists the focus must quickly shift back to results.

“We have to go through it and go to the next game already thinking about us as a team and try to win it,” he said.

Chelsea face a difficult test against Manchester City as they begin life after Maresca, with the squad tasked with responding quickly amid uncertainty over the club’s long-term direction.

Did Chelsea move too quickly in letting Enzo Maresca go, or was the split inevitable given the tensions behind the scenes?