Maresca’s Potential Return to Leicester Amidst Struggles

Enzo Maresca signed a five-year contract with Chelsea in 2024, with an option for an additional season. During his sole full campaign at Stamford Bridge, he successfully led the team to a fourth-place finish, securing qualification for the Champions League. Additionally, Chelsea won the Conference League and the Club World Cup, notably defeating Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain in the final of the latter competition in the summer of 2025.

However, tensions began to rise between Maresca and the Chelsea ownership, particularly following a victory over Everton in December, which he described as a challenging moment due to the lack of support he felt from those around him. He remarked, “This is the reason why I praise the players because, despite numerous challenges, they are doing very well after a complicated week. Since I joined the club, the last 48 hours have been the worst because many people didn’t support us. Worst 48 hours since I joined the club because people didn’t support me and the team.”

Ultimately, Maresca was dismissed on New Year’s Day after a disappointing run of just one win in seven Premier League matches, leading to the appointment of Liam Rosenior as his successor.

Currently, Leicester City is facing a difficult season, sitting in 16th place in the Championship following their recent 2-0 loss to Charlton Athletic. Former manager Cifuentes also faced termination last week after a 2-1 defeat against Oxford United, marking the 11th loss in 29 league matches during his tenure. The 43-year-old was expected to guide Leicester back to the Premier League, an ambition that now seems increasingly distant as the Foxes find themselves nine points off the playoff spots.

Despite these challenges, Leicester is reportedly ambitious in its search for Cifuentes’ replacement. The Mirror has indicated that the club has reached out to Maresca regarding a potential return, under the belief that he could help steer the team towards a charge for a top-six position.

Maresca previously took the reins at Leicester in June 2023, following their relegation from the Premier League. He started his tenure strongly, with his team winning 13 of their first 14 Championship matches, positioning themselves as favorites for the title. After a minor setback in November, Leicester maintained their form until February but faced a late-season slump that jeopardized their title aspirations. Nevertheless, they managed to rally and finished first, securing promotion back to the Premier League by a narrow margin over runners-up Ipswich Town.

Whether Leicester can reverse their current plight, even with Maresca’s potential return, remains uncertain. They are currently without a win in four league matches and are also missing key players such as Aaron Ramsey, Harry Souttar, Jannik Vestergaard, Jordan James, Oliver Skipp, and Victor Kristiansen due to injuries.