London, April 3 (IANS) West London club Chelsea have taken disciplinary action against Enzo Fernandez, dropping the midfielder from the squad after his recent remarks hinting at a possible future in Spain drew internal concern.
Head coach Liam Rosenior confirmed that the Argentina player will miss two crucial matches, an FA Cup quarter-final and a high-profile Premier League clash against Manchester City, following a decision made shortly before his pre-match media interaction.
The move comes after Fernandez publicly addressed speculation linking him with Real Madrid, stating his preference for life in Spain and specifically Madrid, comments that did not sit well with the club’s leadership.
Despite his importance in midfield, Chelsea’s management, including the coaching staff, sporting directors, and ownership, collectively agreed that disciplinary action was necessary to maintain standards within the squad. The decision also followed remarks from teammate Marc Cucurella, which were seen as part of a broader narrative that needed addressing.
Rosenior made it clear that the club’s priority remains safeguarding its culture, even if it involves making difficult calls on key players.
“I spoke with Enzo an hour ago. As a football club, he won’t be available for tomorrow’s game or Manchester City next Sunday. A line was crossed in terms of our culture and what we want to build. I have the utmost respect for Enzo as a person and a player, and he is frustrated because he wants us to be successful. The comments from Enzo and Cucurella’s interview stem from that. It stems from a good place where they want the club to succeed,” Rosenior said.
“Enzo, firstly, as a character, a person, and a player, I have the utmost respect. He’s frustrated because he wants us to be successful. In terms of the decision, it’s not all about me, or the sporting directors, the ownership, or the players; we are aligned in our decision. The door is not closed on Enzo. It’s a sanction. You have to protect the culture, and in terms of that, a line was crossed. Even at Everton, there was no lack of commitment in his performance. In terms of speaking for him, what he wants and his future, it’s not for me to speak about,” he added.
Meanwhile, Chelsea is going through a lean patch and lost four successive games between 11 and 21 March, including an 8-2 defeat on aggregate in their Champions League last-16 tie with Paris St-Germain (PSG).
–IANS
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