Chelsea icon Frank Leboeuf has called out the club’s manager, Enzo Maresca, accusing him of dishonesty over claims he always had confidence in his team throughout the season.
Speaking to ESPN FC, Leboeuf reacted to Maresca’s post-match comments following Chelsea’s emphatic 4-1 comeback win against Spanish side Real Betis in the final of the UEFA Europa Conference League at Wroclaw Stadium. The win capped a dramatic season in which the Blues also secured a fourth-place Premier League finish under the Italian manager.
Maresca had stated after the final that he “never had doubts” about the squad’s ability. However, Leboeuf, a former French international and Chelsea defender, challenged that claim, describing it as misleading.
“He said he never had doubts about his team — that’s a lie,” Leboeuf told ESPN FC, as reported by Hobnob News Nigeria. “Yeah, he had doubts like everybody else. Even the players had doubts about their capacity for consistency.”
Leboeuf’s comments reflect the rollercoaster nature of Chelsea’s campaign. The team endured a difficult stretch after Christmas, losing six of 11 matches, a run that nearly derailed their European qualification hopes.
Despite the rocky period, Maresca guided Chelsea to a strong finish with 35 wins in 57 matches across all competitions — an achievement many did not foresee at the start of the season.
Leboeuf did, however, give Maresca credit for the final outcome, stating, “He’s right to brag now, after winning a European trophy and securing top-four. But let’s not rewrite history — there were real struggles, and even he must have questioned things.”
Maresca, who took over as Chelsea’s boss at the beginning of the season, has faced both criticism and praise for his tactical choices and player development approach. The debate sparked by Leboeuf’s remarks is likely to add further scrutiny to the Italian’s statements and future leadership at Stamford Bridge.
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