Chelsea has taken disciplinary action against Enzo Fernandez following his remarks that hinted at a potential move to Real Madrid during the international break. This development has stirred discussions within the club, leading to significant decisions regarding his immediate future.
Head coach Rosenior addressed the situation candidly on Friday, stating, “We had a conversation with Enzo just an hour ago. As a club, with my involvement in the decision-making process, we’ve made a resolution.” He further elaborated on the consequences, noting, “He will not be part of the squad for tomorrow’s match against Port Vale nor for Sunday’s clash with Manchester City. It’s unfortunate that Enzo chose to express himself in such a manner.”
Rosenior expressed his admiration for Fernandez, saying, “I have immense respect for Enzo Fernandez, both as a person and a player. His career achievements speak for themselves, and his frustration stems from his desire for Chelsea Football Club to succeed this season.” Despite the current circumstances, Rosenior emphasized, “He remains committed to the club’s success, and we still value him as part of our team.”
The decision, according to Rosenior, was a collective one, emphasizing the united front within Chelsea’s leadership. “This isn’t solely about me or the sporting directors or the ownership; it’s a unified decision. Importantly, the door remains open for Enzo. It’s a sanction, not a finality.”
Rosenior underscored the importance of safeguarding the club’s legacy, stating, “Chelsea is a club with a rich tradition of winning, and it’s crucial to protect that culture. During the international break, a line was crossed, and we had to respond accordingly.”
Enzo Fernandez has been sidelined for comments made during the international break about his future which ‘crossed the line’
‘You have to protect, especially this football club, it’s a winning football club with traditions of success. You have to protect that culture. I think in terms of that, the line was crossed in the international break.’
The midfielder will now be omitted from Chelsea’s next two matchday squads: against Port Vale in their FA Cup clash on Saturday, and to face Manchester City in Premier League action next week.
The manager also held a meeting with Marc Cucurella on Thursday, after the Spain international seemingly criticised Chelsea’s transfer strategy, and the sacking of former manager Enzo Maresca, in a wide-ranging interview during the break.
‘I had fantastic conversation with Marc yesterday,’ Rosenior explained. ‘Half an hour in my office.
‘I want players, I’ve said to them from day one, if they’ve got any issue with how we do things, to come and speak to me and speak to sporting directors.
‘My disappointment in Marc’s interview is where it went to. I think he should have spoken to us first about the things that he’s feeling. I want players to feel like they can speak openly and honestly for the benefit of the football club. Those conversations we’ve had with Reece James, that’s why Reece has signed a new contract, because he believes in where we’re going.
‘As a football club, we know we need to improve, myself included. We actually know what we’re going to do in the summer to achieve those objectives.
‘Everybody knows Marc Cucurella, knows his character. He’s a great character, he’s passionate, he wants to do well. He did a long interview where he spoke with passion, he spoke his mind.
‘Yesterday, when I was in the office with him for half an hour, I wanted to remind him “you can come and speak to me, you can be honest with me and you can be honest with the club about what you want.” That takes time.
‘I’ve been here for two-and-a-half months. We’ve played 20 games. So to build those relationships and those connections takes time. But Marc is fully committed, he wants to be here. He’s made that very, very clear to me. And he actually believes in where we’re moving forward.’
After defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, Fernandez publicly questioned his future at Stamford Bridge, before days later, in a livestream with Argentine channel SpiderCARP, he appeared to issue a come-and-get-me plea to sometime suitors Real Madrid.
Asked which other city he would like to live in, Fernandez replied: ‘Madrid… I like Madrid very much… it’s similar to Buenos Aires.’
Cucurella griped that Chelsea’s two-legged defeat to Paris Saint-Germain suggested that ‘we are still a bit away from the top level’.
‘I understand this is part of the club’s policy, and that they want to take this direction – signing young players and looking to the future,’ he said. ‘But, for all of us who are still here and want to win big things, moments like this make you feel discouraged.
‘We have a good core of players. The foundations are there. But to fight for major trophies, you need more. Signing young players only might complicate achieving those goals. Against PSG, we lacked players that had gone through situations like that.’
