Former Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has released a statement after leaving the club.
The 45-year-old was sacked on New Year’s Day, bringing an end to his 18-month spell in charge.
In an Instagram post shared on Tuesday, Maresca expressed gratitude to Chelsea fans and players, but did not mention the club’s ownership.
He wrote, “LEAVE THIS WORLD A LITTLE BETTER THAN YOU FOUND IT.
“My journey with Chelsea began with the preliminary rounds of the Conference League. I leave with the inner peace of leaving a prestigious club like Chelsea where it deserves to be.
“I want to thank all the Chelsea fans for their support over the last 18 months.
Support that was crucial to achieving Champions League qualification, winning the Conference League, and winning the Club World Cup.
“Victories that I will always hold in my heart!
“A special thank you to all the players who have accompanied me on this wonderful journey.
“I wish everyone who has shared every moment with me every success in this second half of the season and in the future.
“Thank you, CHELSEA 💙 from me and my family.”
Maresca’s exit came after a poor sequence of results, with Chelsea managing only one win in their final seven Premier League games. His last match as head coach ended in a 2–2 draw at home to Bournemouth last Tuesday.
During his time at Stamford Bridge, Maresca guided Chelsea to victories in the Conference League and the Club World Cup.
On Tuesday, Chelsea announced Liam Rosenior as their new head coach. The former Hull City manager joins from Strasbourg, another club under the BlueCo ownership group.