Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca returns to his old stomping ground on Saturday as the Blues take on Leicester City in an exciting Premier League showdown.
Thomas Tuchel’s appointment as the new England manager has recently decimated Maresca’s technical personnel.
According to The Telegraph, goalkeeping coach Henrique Hilario has offered his resignation amid talks linking him with a job in the Three Lions backroom staff.
However, Maresca cannot afford to let Hilario’s impending exit distract him from his bid to steer Chelsea back to the Premier League top four after a two-year absence.
Following a nerve-shredding 1-1 home draw against Arsenal on the stroke of November’s international break, he returns to the King Power Stadium, where he established himself as an exciting young coach.
The Italian manager inspired Leicester to Premier League promotion last season before earning a call from Chelsea to replace Mauricio Pochettino in the summer.
Maresca’s successor already under scrutiny
Leicester appointed Steve Cooper to fill the vacancy in June.
Stranded only three points clear of the bottom three after the opening 11 rounds, Cooper can already feel the heat.
A three-game winless league run in the build-up to this fixture doesn’t make for good reading either.
Cooper has only overseen two top-flight victories this season, with fans calling for his dismissal.
Ex-Leicester boss to put final nail in Cooper’s coffin
Though it’s not a foregone conclusion, Chelsea’s potential triumph in East Midlands could spell the end of Cooper’s regime.
As Maresca continues to lead the Blues to long-promised heights, fans eager to watch football on TV can look forward to a thrilling clash.
However, Pep Guardiola’s former assistant can’t rest easy.
With Chelsea only winning once in their last five league games, victory at the King Power is imperative.
Despite their recent slumps, the Blues head into proceedings in third, albeit level on points with three more sides.