Chelsea Football Club is facing a fresh wave of fan discontent, with supporters planning a major protest against the club's ownership following the explosive and bitter departure of manager Enzo Maresca.
Fans Announce Stadium Protest with Six Key Demands
The supporters group known as 'Not a Project CFC' is organising a demonstration to take place at Stamford Bridge before the Premier League match against Brentford on 17 January. In a statement on social media platform X, the group launched a scathing critique of the current regime, accusing them of running the club "less like an elite club and more like a player trading farm focused on rotation, speculation, and long-term potential at the expense of current competitiveness".
The group, which last protested against the owners in February, has issued six direct demands to co-owner Behdad Eghbali and the rest of the BlueCo leadership. Their list includes:
- Clear accountability from the board.
- An end to the culture of micro-management.
- More flexibility in the volume of player signings.
- Greater stability in the boardroom.
- Adequate support for the team management.
- A clear ambition to win championships.
The protest comes despite the owners, BlueCo, having spent over £1 billion on players since taking control in 2022. Fans argue this investment has prioritised future profit over immediate success on the pitch.
The Acrimonious Exit of Enzo Maresca
The immediate catalyst for the planned action is the controversial departure of 45-year-old manager Enzo Maresca. His exit followed what has been described as an explosive breakdown in relations with the club's hierarchy, making his position untenable.
Maresca's final game in charge was Tuesday's 2-2 home draw with Bournemouth. His departure caps a turbulent period where Chelsea won just one of their last seven Premier League matches. The split took a remarkably bitter turn on Thursday when Chelsea, in a statement read live on Sky Sports, claimed Maresca lacked the "mental strength and emotional maturity" required for the job.
Search for a Successor and Immediate Fallout
Attention now turns to who will replace Maresca at the helm. Liam Rosenior, the current head coach of Strasbourg—also owned by BlueCo—is reportedly the favourite for the role. According to reports, Bournemouth's Andoni Iraola is also under consideration.
However, former Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi, now at Marseille, is not on the shortlist, despite being an option before Maresca's appointment. Club legends Cesc Fàbregas and John Terry are also not in contention. For this Sunday's match against Manchester City, Chelsea's Under-21 head coach Calum McFarlane will take temporary charge.
The planned protest signals a significant deepening of the rift between Chelsea's ambitious owners and a large section of the club's supporter base, who are demanding a swift return to a football-first philosophy focused on winning trophies.
