Angry Chelsea supporters are planning a protest against the club’s ownership following the abrupt departure of head coach Enzo Maresca. The demonstration is scheduled to take place at Stamford Bridge ahead of the Premier League match against Brentford on Saturday, 17th January.

Maresca, 45, left the club in acrimonious circumstances after a breakdown in relations with senior figures behind the scenes. Sources close to the situation indicate that tensions between the Italian coach and the hierarchy had escalated to the point where his position became untenable.

The protest is being organised by fan group “Not a Project CFC”, which has voiced strong criticism of the club’s direction under the BlueCo ownership. In a statement posted on X, the group claimed Chelsea are being “run less like an elite club and more like a player trading farm focused on churn, speculation, and long-term potential at the expense of present day competitiveness.”

The group also accused the owners, who have spent more than £1 billion since taking over in 2022, of prioritising future planning while neglecting immediate success. As part of their campaign, “Not a Project CFC” issued six demands to co-owner Behdad Eghbali and the board, including clearer accountability, an end to what they describe as a micromanagement culture, greater flexibility in recruitment strategy, boardroom stability, proper support for the head coach and a renewed ambition to compete for major honours.

Chelsea supporters last staged a protest against the ownership in February, although unrest subsided as results improved and the club went on to win the Club World Cup. However, despite a relatively positive start to the current Premier League season, form has dipped in recent weeks amid growing internal tensions.

Maresca’s departure follows a run of just one win in Chelsea’s last seven league matches. His final game in charge was Tuesday’s 2-2 home draw with Bournemouth, a result that further underlined the team’s struggles.

The split took a further dramatic turn on Thursday when Chelsea briefed reporters with an extraordinary assessment of their former coach. Speaking live on Sky Sports, presenter Dave Jones relayed the club’s view that Maresca lacked the “mental fortitude and emotional maturity” required for the role.

Attention has now turned to his successor, with Strasbourg head coach Liam Rosenior, who also works under the BlueCo umbrella, emerging as the leading candidate. Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola is also understood to be under consideration, while Roberto De Zerbi, Cesc Fabregas and John Terry are not thought to be on the shortlist. In the interim, Chelsea Under-21s coach Calum McFarlane will take charge of Sunday’s away fixture against Manchester City.

The protest is due to start at 1pm at the Britannia Gate at Stamford Bridge. The Chelsea Citizen’s full reporting first team will be there to cover proceedings in full…