Chelsea have suspended Enzo Fernandez for the next two games following recent comments the player made about his time and future at the club.
The decision to sanction the midfielder comes weeks after the Blues were knocked out by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League Round of 16, and after an intense interview with ESPN, where he spoke about his uncertainty over staying at the club.
The comments were about his future at Chelsea and his desire to leave for Madrid, with a series of strong links connecting the player to a move to Real Madrid.
Mr Fernandez, when asked about whether he would be at the club next season, said, “I don’t know. My focus is here now. Then the World Cup is coming up, so we’ll see after that,” he added.
Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior, speaking to the press on Friday, reacted to Mr Fernandez’s remarks, saying the player “crossed a line” in the club’s culture and he would sit out two games, the FA Cup clash with Port Vale on Saturday and the game against Manchester City.
Mr Rosenior said, “We’ve made a decision he won’t be available for tomorrow’s game and he won’t be available for Manchester City.”
“It’s disappointing to speak in that way. What I will say about Enzo is that, in terms of him as a person, I’ve got no bad words to say. But a line was crossed in terms of our culture. We had to make a sanction.”
The Argentine international during the international break told Argentine media of his desire to stay in Madrid, saying, “It’s similar to Buenos Aires”.
Reacting further to Mr Fernandez’s comments over the international break, Liam Rosenior expressed his respect for the vice- captain and what he has achieved for the Blues
He added, “He’s frustrated because he wanted Chelsea to be successful this year. He still wants that, and we still can be. In terms of the decision, we are aligned in every decision that we make, so it was a joint decision.”
Mr Fernandez has been crucial for Chelsea since joining the club in a British record transfer fee of £107 million and has a contract that runs until the summer of 2032.
Also, Mr Fernandez is not the only player to express his current struggles at the club, with Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella speaking about Enzo Marcesa’s departure and criticising the club’s focus on signing young players.
