Ex-Chelsea defender Frank Leboeuf does not believe that Enzo Maresca will be axed even if the Blues fail to qualify for the Champions League.

Speaking to online casino site BetVictor, Leboeuf said his former club have made their fair share of managerial changes in recent years and they are likely to change tact when it comes to the Italian:

“I don’t think Enzo Maresca will be sacked if Chelsea don’t finish in the top five. They have already swapped Thomas Tuchel for Graham Potter, Potter for Mauricio Pochettino, and Pochettino for Maresca”

“I think they’re starting to realise that simply changing the manager doesn’t change anything. There is no point in changing the manager again if they haven’t got a better squad to work with.”

Chelsea have it all to do to seal Champions League qualification

The Blues currently sit just outside the top 5 with five games to go. They are in 6th place, two points below Newcastle in the final Champions League spot.

Maresca’s side also have a rather tough fixture list to contend with. After this weekend’s game against Everton, they host Liverpool at Stamford Bridge before making the trip to St James’ Park.

Their final two matches are Manchester United at home and Nottingham Forest, who they will play at the City Ground on the final day of the campaign.

Maresca’s difficult second half of the season

The 45-year-old got off to a flying start at Stamford Bridge, and there was even talk of a title challenge before Christmas. However, the club’s form has taken a turn for the worse in recent months.

Over the past 14 games, Chelsea have collected 22 points, which is an average of 1.57 per game. In the first 19 games, they accrued 35 with an average of 1.84 per match.

Find out who is in Chelsea’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here