Enzo Fernandez received a two-match ban days ago, but after fans and Chelsea players asked Rosenior to let him play on Sunday, Rosenior finally responded.
Chelsea coach Liam Rosenior confirmed he will not lift the two-match suspension on Enzo Fernandez despite the player apologizing for comments about his future. In this way, the absence against Port Vale in the FA Cup quarterfinals will be added to the one this Sunday against Manchester City for Premier League matchweek 32.
Rosenior said it in statements released by the EFE agency, ESPN, and Fox Sports: “I made a decision. I want Enzo to have an incredible career, but he won't play on Sunday. There are certain values that I believe in and that I believe will make the club stronger if we uphold them.”
“I had a good chat with Enzo. He apologized to me and to the club. I do not question his character or who he is, but I think people make mistakes, and you cannot overlook the punishment,” he confirmed in a news conference. He could return on Saturday, 18, against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge, and the coach expects him to be “a fundamental piece of the team in the future.”
He then emphasized that “there are still some obstacles to overcome that I will not get into, but at the same time I want all the players to be very, very focused now on the final stretch.”
The entire conflict originated from two interviews the central midfielder gave to influencer Marcos Giles and the YouTube channel Luzu, in which he was asked whether he would like to live somewhere else in the world, after having been in Buenos Aires, Lisbon, and now London for his stints at River Plate, Benfica, and Chelsea.
“I really like Madrid. It is similar to Buenos Aires,” said the 25-year-old, and many users interpreted it as a nod to Real Madrid, a club with which a possible transfer has been rumored on more than one occasion.
Days before those conversations, Fernandez had also not assured his continuity in England for next season, and his comments during the FIFA international window only heightened the atmosphere in the English locker room.
“Chelsea players are unhappy with Enzo Fernandez,” the local newspaper The Telegraph headlined regarding the Blues’ vice-captain, who logged minutes with the Argentine national team against Mauritania and Zambia.
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