Chelsea winger Pedro Neto has revealed he was ‘surprised’ and the players were ‘all upset’ after learning that Enzo Maresca had left his role as manager.
Chelsea sent shockwaves around England with confirmation of the news on New Year’s Day, the culmination of breakdown in communication between Maresca and club chiefs.
After taking Chelsea to Europa Conference League and Club World Cup glory last season, Maresca enjoyed a good start to the 2025/26 season, with many tipping the club as outsiders for the Premier League title.
But Maresca launched an attack on his Chelsea bosses after the club’s defeat to Everton last month, bemoaning a lack of ‘support’ behind the scenes at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea’s 2-2 draw with Bournemouth proved to be the last game of Maresca’s 18-month reign – and reports are circulating that the Italian is being eyed as a successor to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.
In the coming days, Liam Rosenior, the manager of Strasbourg, has emerged as the frontrunner for the Chelsea job and talks have reportedly ‘intensified’ in recent hours.
Under-21 manager Calum McFarlane has taken over the reins on an interim basis heading into Chelsea’s huge game with Manchester City at the Etihad on Sunday.
‘After the [Bournemouth] game, of course, we wanted to win,’ Chelsea star Neto told Sky Sports when asked how he felt after a whirlwind few days at the club.
‘Of course, we didn’t have the idea that [Maresca would leave] but we were all upset.
‘And when I heard the news in the beginning, to be honest, 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 wanted to do better, we always want to do better.’
Neto, who was signed by Maresca in August 2024, says elite-level players are used to managers leaving with little prior warning.
‘This is football,’ the Portuguese star explained.
‘Of course, for me, I will be a little bit sad because it was a manager that helped me a lot in these years, he managed myself, he helped me a lot and I learned a lot with him.
‘On personal terms, he was unbelievable as well so the only thing I can say is thank you but it is football and we have to go through it and go to the next game already, thinking about us as a team and trying to win it.’
When asked if he had a good personal relationship with Maresca, Neto said: ‘Yeah, I think so.
‘Of course, we had a relationship of manager-player but, like I said to you, in personal terms he helped me a lot, as a professional I learned a lot with him.
‘What I added to my game as well and I have to thank him a lot. In some moments he helped me a lot in personal terms and I have to be thankful.
‘But it’s football and the only thing I can say to him is thank you.’
