Chelsea supporters are organising a major demonstration against the club's ownership following the acrimonious departure of manager Enzo Maresca. The protest, planned for the 17th of January ahead of the Premier League match against Brentford at Stamford Bridge, signals a deepening rift between the fanbase and the decision-makers at the helm.
Fan Fury and a List of Demands
The group behind the action, called 'Not a Project CFC', used social media platform X to articulate their frustrations. They accused the BlueCo ownership, which has overseen spending exceeding £1 billion since their 2022 takeover, of running the club "less like an elite club and more like a player trading farm focused on turnover, speculation and long-term potential at the expense of current competitiveness".
The group has issued six direct demands to co-owner Behdad Eghbali and other club leaders. These include calls for clear accountability, an end to a culture of micro-management, flexibility in transfer volume, stability in the boardroom, and adequate support for management with championship ambition.
The Explosive End of the Maresca Era
The protest is a direct response to the circumstances surrounding the exit of 45-year-old manager Enzo Maresca. His tenure ended after what sources describe as an explosive breakdown in relations with the hierarchy, making his position untenable.
Despite a relatively positive start to the Premier League season, tensions grew behind the scenes and the team's form dramatically declined. Maresca's final game was a 2-2 home draw with Bournemouth on Tuesday, marking a run of just one win in Chelsea's last seven league matches.
The split took a remarkably bitter turn on Thursday. In a statement read live on Sky Sports, Chelsea claimed Maresca lacked the "mental strength and emotional maturity" required for the job, an extraordinary public critique that has further inflamed supporter sentiment.
Search for a Successor and Immediate Fallout
Attention now turns to who will replace Maresca in the dugout. Liam Rosenior, the head coach of Strasbourg which is also owned by BlueCo, is currently the favourite. According to reports, Bournemouth's Andoni Iraola is also a target.
However, former Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi, now at Marseille, is not under consideration, nor are club legends Cesc Fàbregas or John Terry. In the interim, Chelsea's Under-21 head coach Calum McFarlane will take charge of this Sunday's match against Manchester City.
This planned protest marks the second significant fan action against the owners this year, following a demonstration in February. That previous outcry occurred when the club's fortunes appeared brighter, culminating in a Club World Cup win. The current climate, however, reflects a growing belief among supporters that the club's sporting project has lost its way.
