Pep Guardiola’s ex-assistant manager is Chelsea’s head coach
Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola will come up against another one of his “scholars” in the Premier League next season, with Chelsea making the appointment of head coach Enzo Maresca vas on Monday night.
Italian Maresca, like current Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, cut his managerial teeth as a Man City assistant manager under Guardiola, before spreading his wings at Leicester City.
After guiding the Foxes back into the Premier League last season, Maresca was a wanted man and Chelsea moved quickly to sign him as axed Mauricio Pochettino’s replacement.
A former West Brom midfielder, Maresca, 44, started his coaching career in 2017 when he joined Italian Serie B side Ascoli as an assistant coach.
Maresca then moved to Spain to assist at Sevilla when former Man City boss Manuel Pelegrini scooped him up to come and help out at West Ham United in 2018.
But he would not stay long as City’s U23s came calling in 2020.
A managerial stint of 14 games at Italian club Parma followed before he returned to the Etihad Stadium in 2022 before joining Leicester a year later.
Now Maresca has signed as a Blue for the next five years and says of the move: “To join Chelsea, one of the biggest clubs in the world, is a dream for any coach. It is why I am so excited by this opportunity.
“I look forward to working with a talented group of players and staff to develop a team that continues the tradition of success.”
Welcome to Chelsea, Enzo Maresca! 👊#WelcomeEnzo pic.twitter.com/ZKfuXKQdGD
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) June 3, 2024