CK Updates
Enzo Maresca: What went wrong between Chelsea and Maresca?
Chelsea were satisfied with Maresca at the end of last season when he delivered Champions League qualification – regarded internally as his most important achievement – plus success in the Conference League and Club World Cup.
While victory in Europe’s third-tier competition was broadly expected, beating Paris St-Germain to be crowned ‘world champions’ was a welcome surprise.
Maresca had delighted key figures at Stamford Bridge – including sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Lawrence Stewart, and influential co-owner Behdad Eghbali.
In line with the agreed strategy when the Italian moved from Leicester City in 2024 – for which the club paid £10m – he focused on coaching while those above him oversaw much of the backroom staff, medical department and transfers.
Maresca knew what he was signing up for in terms of the transfer policy – signing the world’s best young players from ‘lesser’ leagues to create the youngest team in the Premier League – and his issues were not with the quality of players or the strategy, but about the perception of his work with a young group. Maresca also did not expect decisions on team selection to be influenced.
This season, he and his agent had informed the club on two occasions of interest from Manchester City. Chelsea noted it came at a time when City boss Pep Guardiola had said Maresca was the best manager in the league.
Maresca had also notified the club of interest from Juventus, as well as his willingness to stay despite interest from two of Europe’s biggest clubs.
He indicated speculation would end if he was handed a new contract. He was only 18 months into his initial deal and contracted until 2029.
Difficulties remained in his working relationship with the Chelsea ownership.
The Italian was encouraged to rotate his squad, but often felt that when he did so in the Premier League, they dropped points. He openly urged reporters to question the club’s hierarchy but there was frustration each time Maresca sought to make his complaints public rather than discussing internally first.
He later admitted his comments after the Everton match were premeditated – rejecting the club’s claim they were an emotional outburst after a tense match.
After winning two trophies in his first two seasons, Maresca wanted to be seen as more than a project-focused manager, and believes the club stopped him raising his profile.
The Italian wanted to take on some external engagements and had floated the idea of publishing a book but was blocked by the club – though this is a claim a source close to Maresca denies. He also spoke at Il Festival dello Sport – an event in Italy organised by La Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper – without their 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.
Those close to Maresca, who has switched agents from the Wasserman agency to Jorge Mendes, made it known he was weighing up his future.
The last week seemed to be the turning point in Maresca’s mind, with Chelsea more keen to make any change of manager in the summer.
The home supporters, who Maresca holds in high regard, booed his decisions to take off Cole Palmer in a defeat by Aston Villa and the draw with Bournemouth.
Maresca was reportedly told by the medical department he needed to make that change, despite insisting in his news conference his star attacker could complete 90 minutes if he wanted to.
Former West Ham, QPR and Czech Republic goalkeeper Ludek Miklosko has died at the age of 64.
Miklosko made almost 400 appearances for the Hammers from 1990 to 1998 and was much loved by supporters, who regularly sang his name long after he left the club.
He later returned as a goalkeeping coach.
Miklosko withdrew from cancer treatment in December 2024, three years after his diagnosis.
Days later he returned to West Ham’s London Stadium for a Premier League match against Liverpool to a hero’s reception.
A West Ham statement read: “It is with deep and profound sadness that West Ham United announces the passing of legendary former goalkeeper and coach, Luděk Miklosko.
“Rest in peace Ludek, our beloved, inspirational goalkeeper and gentle giant of a man.”
More to follow.
Going into the 2026 season, few people would have backed Zverev to win two Grand Slam tournaments, with the German having already lost three major finals in a career which looked in danger of not living up to expectation.
But injuries to his biggest rivals – Alcaraz missing the French Open and Wimbledon, with Sinner ruled out of the US Open – opened the door for Zverev.
A below-par Zverev scraped through the opening rounds at Flushing Meadows in a series of early-morning finishes, but he gradually improved over a fortnight where he did not play a top-20 opponent until Shelton.
Zverev had not lost to Shelton in their five previous meetings and immediately capitalised on a nervy start by his opponent.
Shelton double-faulted on break point in the first game of the match, handing over the type of initiative that opponents often struggle to wrestle back from Zverev.
Through the strength of his first serve, and his ability to unpick Shelton’s weaker backhand in the baseline exchanges, Zverev rolled through the opening set and clinched it when Shelton hit another double fault on set point.
Zverev continued to patiently draw mistakes from Shelton in the second set, but without being gifted a break when his only opportunity arrived in the fourth game.
He instead showed why he has a strong tie-break record with another nerveless display and, unlike in the 2020 US Open final when he lost from a two-set lead, kept his composure in the pressure moments to secure a commanding victory.
Addressing his team which is led by his father Alexander senior and brother Mischa, Zverev said: “We went 30 years without winning a Grand Slam title and now won two in the span of three months.
“I think God has seen how hard we have worked, how hard we have suffered and how much pain we went through.
“I think 2026 is the outcome of all the years that happened before.”
With Haaland’s goal settling the match, United were unsurprisingly disappointed by the decision.
“I think it was offside,” said Martinez. “And what I can’t understand is the rules. I want to be calm now, I want to control myself.
“It’s so hard because you lose a derby, you lose three points at home, and every season they’re [referees] coming to our club, they explain for one hour the rules, and they look so confident with that, and then after [there are] five or six people doing these kind of mistakes in the Premier League – it’s unacceptable.
“It’s the best league in the world, you have the best teams in the world, the best players in the world, and now we have to go home with this injustice.”
United boss Carrick also expressed his confusion.
“We put things in place in the game now, we have people in offices with all the screens for this decision,” he said.
“It’s more worrying about if that’s the interpretation of football now. If that’s the interpretation of not interfering in the game now, that’s really worrying for me. It’s a staggering explanation.
“The decision isn’t going to change the season, but it’s had a major impact on the game.”
Wayne Rooney, part of the BBC’s MOTD2 team, said: “Surely it’s offside. Martinez is impacted by Fernandez’s movement, and he is offside.”
Gary Neville said on Sky Sports: “I think we’ll see some sort of apology from the referee’s association, there’s no doubt Fernandez is playing that ball and is trying to put off Martinez. I think it’s one they’ll recognising they got wrong.”
Micah Richards added: “I think it’s been a bad day for referees. They got the Foden decision wrong and the Fernandez decision wrong. I think they got it so wrong but I don’t think it takes anything away from City’s performance.”
Meanwhile, City boss Maresca said: “I think it was onside clearly so it’s good.”
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