Sports
Chelsea confirm Enzo Maresca exit amid poor Premier League run
Chelsea confirmed on Thursday they have parted ways with manager Enzo Maresca ahead of Sunday’s game against Manchester City.
Maresca’s 18-month spell at Stamford Bridge comes to an end after a run of one win in seven Premier League games that left his side fifth in the table, though sources have told ESPN the primary reason for his exit is a breakdown in relations with the club’s hierarchy.
His exit was confirmed in a 99-word statement following talks about his future.
Chelsea’s official wording stopped short of saying that Maresca had been sacked, rather that “Enzo and the club believe a change gives the team the best chance of getting the season back on track.”
Sources said the club’s hierarchy had become concerned by Maresca’s behavior, with the 45-year-old having been increasingly public with his displays of dissent toward Chelsea’s ownership.
Maresca claimed last month he had experienced “the worst 48 hours” of his time at the club in the buildup to a 2-0 win over Everton.
Maresca repeatedly declined to explain that outburst, but sources told ESPN that this due to ongoing issues he had with medical advice over player loads as opposed to a one-off bust-up behind the scenes.
Sources also said that Maresca’s public comments took members of his own staff by surprise.
Chelsea have not confirmed who will be in the dugout for Sunday’s key clash against City, though Under-21s head coach Calum McFarlane will speak to the media on Friday at a pre-game news conference.
For the long term, sources told ESPN that Liam Rosenior, in charge of the BlueCo-owned Strasbourg, is a contender — while Crystal Palace’s Oliver Glasner is not in the running.
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Maresca’s last game was a 2-2 draw against AFC Bournemouth on Tuesday, when they were booed off at Stamford Bridge after the final whistle. Maresca faced chants of “You don’t know what you’re doing” from fans when opting to substitute Cole Palmer.
He also did not appear at his postmatch news conference. The official explanation given at the time was that Maresca was “sick.”
Maresca, who joined Chelsea in July 2024, guided the club back to Champions League football in his debut season by finishing fourth in the Premier League, as well as lifting the Conference League title and the inaugural Club World Cup.
His contract was due to run until 2029, with the club holding an option for an additional year.
Sources told ESPN that despite reports linking Maresca to Manchester City in the event of Pep Guardiola’s departure as manager, the club regards the links as nothing more than speculation as it has no vacancy to fill.
Information from ESPN’s Mark Ogden was used in this report.
- Approval follows earlier clearance for PSL final attendance.
- Franchise owners pushed for reversal of no-crowd policy.
- Online sale of tournament’s final tickets goes live today.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi announced on Monday that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif granted approval for public attendance in all three playoff matches of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11.
“Just had a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and I’m pleased to share that we have secured his approval for public attendance in all three PSL playoff matches as well,” Naqvi wrote on his official X handle.
The development comes two days after the premier had already approved spectator presence for the tournament final following a request from franchise owners.
The federal government had earlier restricted crowd attendance for the ongoing eight-team tournament under austerity measures, aiming to conserve resources amid the regional fuel crisis linked to the US-Israel-Iran conflict.
Under this arrangement, 40 matches were held without spectators, with the tournament now set to conclude with just four remaining fixtures, including a qualifier, two eliminators, and the final.
However, Naqvi cautioned that the permission “comes with an important condition from his side that fans are strongly encouraged to use public transport or minimise fuel consumption while attending the matches, in line with the ongoing national austerity efforts”.
“He [PM Shehbaz] also conveyed his best wishes to all four teams competing in the PSL playoffs. Looking forward to some exciting and entertaining cricket ahead,” Naqvi added.
The decision to allow spectators came after several franchise owners publicly urged the government to reconsider the no-crowd policy, arguing the league felt incomplete without fans and that spectator presence was central to the tournament’s atmosphere and identity.
Some franchise representatives had appealed directly to the premier, as well as provincial chief ministers, to permit crowds during the ongoing edition.
Meanwhile, the online sale of the PSL 11 final tickets went live today, with physical sale slated to commence on Tuesday.
With fans now allowed for all the remaining four matches of the eight-team tournament, the PCB has yet to share the ticketing details.
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Xia Brookside certainly has made an impact on Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) over the last few weeks.
As Brookside climbs the ladder to get back into the TNA Knockouts World Championship, she appeared to make an enemy along the way. Brookside helped Arianna Grace retain the title over Lei Ying Lee at Rebellion when she put Grace’s foot on the rope to break up the pin attempt.
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
Xia Brookside attends the “Freelance” screening at Regal Waterford Lakes in Orlando, Fla., on Oct. 24, 2023. (Jose Devillegas/Getty Images)
Brookside was far from finished with Lee. Last week, Lee wanted answers from Brookside. The English wrestler gave Lee a hug in the middle of the ring, but assaulted her. Their feud is heating up.
Outside of the ring, Brookside revealed on Sunday she was starting “a new chapter.” She posted a video of herself getting baptized.
“Something I’ve been considering for a very long time, after getting consistent in going to church weekly, reading daily and the incredible support from my man, it felt like the easiest decision I’ve ever made,” she wrote on X. “Thank you to everyone that came to support me.”
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Candice LeRae and Xia Brookside compete during NXT at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Fla., on Sept. 2, 2025. (Matt Pendleton/WWE)
Brookside, whose real name is Xia-Louise Brooks, is the daughter of retired pro wrestling star Robbie Brookside. He currently works as a trainer and producer for WWE NXT.
She started her pro wrestling career in the United Kingdom and worked her way through the independent scene, eventually joining WWE in 2018. She was featured in WWE NXT UK before she joined Stardom in Japan and eventually TNA.
She’s held championships in International Pro Wrestling United Kingdom and Rise Wrestling during her career. She was also ranked No. 91 on Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s list of top women’s wrestlers in 2019.
Mina Shirakawa enters the ring during the women’s pro-wrestling event Stardom at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on Dec. 29, 2022. (Etsuo Hara/Getty Images)
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Brookside is back to making an impact on TNA again and is sure to be in line for the knockouts title down the line.
TOULOUSE:
Clermont stunned Toulouse 27–24 on Sunday to hand the Top 14 leaders their first home defeat in nearly a year.
Toulouse still have a 12-point cushion over their closest challengers Pau at the top of the table, but this result showed coach Ugo Mola and his staff have work to do before the end of the season.
“It’s a bit more than just a reminder. We’ll take the time to analyse this in order to come back with a different mindset,” Mola said.
Clermont, on the other hand, climbed to fifth place with 61 points, cementing their status as serious contenders for a playoff spot.
Toulouse had not lost at home since May 17, 2025, but perhaps it was the the sight of France superstar Antoine Dupont on the bench or their unfamiliar beige jerseys — matching those worn by the city’s football team the same weekend — that upset the league leaders.
They began smoothly enough as Teddy Thomas crossed the try line after just 42 seconds, superbly set up by Romain Ntamack.
The prospect of a one-sided match grew when Emmanuel Meafou powered over in the ninth minute, and then Paul Graou, in his 100th appearance for Toulouse, made it 21–0 after just 10 minutes.
But Toulouse lost their grip on the game.
Second-rower Marcos Kremer picked up an orange card and a 20-minute suspension and Harry Plummer was shown a yellow — both for head contact with Kalvin Gourgues — allowing Clermont to work their way back into the match, relying on solid set pieces and Toulouse’s many errors.
Leon Darricarrere got Clermont back on track before captain Baptiste Jauneau brought his team within seven points in the 31st minute.
After the break, prop Giga Tutisani helped Clermont close the gap to just three points and their iron defence, combined with Toulouse’s indiscipline, then turned the match on its head, with New Zealand kicker Harry Plummer kicking two penalties to give his side the lead.
Clumsy and lacking inspiration, Toulouse squandered chances in the opposition 22 and ultimately had to concede defeat.
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