Chelsea have been plunged into a managerial crisis just days before one of their biggest fixtures of the season, with Under-21s coach Calum McFarlane stepping up as caretaker boss for Sunday's trip to Manchester City.
Maresca's Sudden Departure
The club confirmed the departure of head coach Enzo Maresca on New Year's Day, marking the seventh managerial change of the Todd Boehly era. Despite a successful 18-month tenure that included winning the Club World Cup and Conference League, tensions behind the scenes and a dip in form over the last month led to the Italian's exit.
The timing is far from ideal, with the team set to face Premier League title contenders Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium this weekend. With Maresca's assistant, Willy Caballero, and the rest of the first-team coaching staff also departing, the club has turned to its academy to steady the ship.
Who is Calum McFarlane?
Calum McFarlane, the 40-year-old Chelsea Under-21s manager, will lead the senior side against City and will address the media in Friday's pre-match press conference. His playing career was non-existent, but he moved into coaching at a young age.
McFarlane's coaching journey includes a three-year spell at Manchester City from 2020, where he worked as an assistant for the Under-18s. It was there he crossed paths with Enzo Maresca, who was also in City's academy before becoming Pep Guardiola's assistant, as well as current Chelsea recruitment chiefs Joe Shields and Glenn van de Kraan.
After a stint managing Southampton's youth teams, he joined Chelsea last summer. In his short time at Cobham, he has impressed, with the U21s sitting fourth in Premier League 2 after winning six of their nine games.
Tactics and the Task Ahead
Tactically, a seamless transition is expected. McFarlane's U21 side has primarily used a 4-2-3-1 or an attacking 4-3-3 formation, mirroring Maresca's preferred setup. However, the 40-year-old has never taken charge of a senior professional match.
He faces a monumental task. Chelsea have won just one of their last seven Premier League games and are fifth, 15 points behind leaders Arsenal. Their opponents, Manchester City, are second after a New Year's Day draw with Sunderland left them four points off the top.
The Search for a Permanent Successor
The hunt for Maresca's permanent replacement is already underway. The clear favourite is Liam Rosenior at 3/10, who is currently managing Strasbourg, the Ligue 1 club also owned by Chelsea's parent company, BlueCo. Other names linked include Cesc Fabregas (9/1), Filipe Luis (7/1), and Francesco Farioli (16/1).
Whether Rosenior would leave his project in France mid-season remains to be seen. For now, all focus is on Calum McFarlane and his baptism of fire at the home of the champions.
