Enzo Maresca Receives Sack Verdict As Blues Boss Points Blame After Qarabag Defeat

Chelsea’s season has taken a turn for the worse after a disheartening loss to Qarabag. A 2-2 draw in Azerbaijan on Wednesday night puts the Blues in a dangerous position in the Champions League, sitting 12th in the table ahead of a difficult match against Barcelona later this month.

Things aren’t much better in Premier League. Saturday’s 1-0 victory over Tottenham was well-deserved, but after dropping points in five of their first ten games, Enzo Maresca’s team is battling to keep up with title contenders Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester City.

Maresca made seven changes to his lineup for the trip to Qarabag in order to rest some of his tired players. However, his rotation plans suddenly unraveled. Injuries, including a blow to Romeo Lavia just eight minutes in, and a 2-1 halftime deficit prompted him to rely on his key players quicker than expected.

Goals by Estevao and Alejandro Garnacho indicate that Chelsea is improving in wide areas, but they did little to disguise an otherwise disjointed display, particularly against a side Chelsea defeated 10-0 on aggregate in 2017/18.

As the pressure returns on Maresca’s shoulders, the Italian faces a critical assignment in regaining control of the ship ahead of Saturday’s match against Wolves. Mirror Football takes through the most recent Chelsea-related headlines.
Maresca sack verdict

Despite Chelsea’s struggles this season, Maresca’s employment is not thought to be under immediate jeopardy. The club’s hierarchy continues to support the Italian, believing that he can lead the Blues back into the top four.

Last month, reports stated Chelsea had selected Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola as a potential successor, although insiders say no formal preparations to replace Maresca are being explored at this time.

Within the club, there is widespread recognition that injuries have played a significant influence in the team’s lackluster performance. Cole Palmer, for example, hasn’t played since September due to a lack of conditioning when the season began. Levi Colwill’s absence has also been felt at the defense, and Liam Delap’s injury has left Chelsea with few attacking options.

According to a report from New York Times, Patrice Motsepe, president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), has weighed in after South Africa’s Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie wrote to FIFA over the controversy surrounding Teboho Mokoena’s yellow-card suspension — an administrative lapse that cost Bafana Bafana three points during the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

McKenzie sent two letters: one to the South African Football Association (SAFA) and another to FIFA, seeking a full account of how Mokoena, who was suspended at the time, came to be selected for the March qualifier against Lesotho.

FIFA found that the 28-year-old midfielder was ineligible for that match, a ruling that led not only to a three-point deduction but also to a financial penalty for South Africa.

Although the national team recovered on the pitch — earning four points from their final two qualifier games and ultimately topping Group C to clinch automatic World Cup qualification — the episode remains a live issue in Pretoria.

Mokoena publicly expressed his relief after qualification and publicly thanked Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen, whose hat-trick played a part in securing South Africa’s spot; yet the lost points and the circumstances that produced them have not been forgotten.

SAFA has stated the matter is closed, but McKenzie has rejected that stance.

In his correspondence to both SAFA and FIFA he demands accountability and a transparent explanation, insisting that those responsible for the administrative error be identified and held to account.

The minister’s move has provoked strong reactions from supporters, some of whom fear that escalating the dispute to FIFA could bring further sanctions.