Chelsea punish Enzo Fernández with a 2-match ban for «crossing a line» | OneFootball

Coach Liam Rosenior said he crossed a line with his recent comments about his future and that is why he decided to take disciplinary action.

Argentina international midfielder Enzo Fernández was sanctioned by Chelsea upon returning to the club after the FIFA international break and will not be called up for the matches against Port Vale this Saturday and Manchester City next Sunday. His coach, Liam Rosenior, said he “crossed a line” with his recent statements about his future.

On Friday morning, the London side’s manager referred to the former River Plate midfielder and explained the sanction: “It is disappointing that Enzo speaks like that. I can’t speak badly of him, but he has crossed a line in terms of our culture and what we want here. I have a lot of respect for him, as a person and as a player. As for the decision, it is not mine or the directors’.”

At the same time, he clarified that it will not be a punishment that lasts, but they do want it to set a precedent: “We are all aligned. The door is not closed for him to return, but it is a sanction. We have to protect the culture of this club, and in that respect a line has been crossed.”

The remark by the 25-year-old midfielder that sparked the scandal came after the Champions League elimination against PSG, when he was asked about his future and replied: “I don’t know, there are eight games left and the FA Cup. There’s the World Cup and then we’ll see.”

In addition, during his stay in Buenos Aires for the friendlies against Mauritania, in which he scored a goal, and Zambia, Enzo admitted in an interview with Luzu that he has a preference for Real Madrid, fueling rumors of a possible transfer.

“I always tell Valu (Cervantes, his partner) that if I have to choose a city to live in in Europe, I really like Madrid. It’s very similar to Buenos Aires,” the Argentine revealed. Those comments continued to fuel discontent in England.

The Argentine’s statements were not only poorly received because of a possible departure from the club after the World Cup, but also because of the club’s poor current form, as they have piled up four straight defeats in all competitions, including elimination against PSG by an 8-2 aggregate score in the Champions League.

Rosenior’s side are sixth in the Premier League with 48 points, six behind Aston Villa of Dibu Martínez, who occupy the last Champions League spot. But the Argentine’s influence on the team is clear: in 30 matches he has scored eight goals and provided three assists. He was also a key piece in the Club World Cup triumph, where the team beat PSG in the final played in the United States.

Amid the anger of many fans, the one who blasted the Argentine was Nigerian John Obi Mikel, a Chelsea legend with 372 appearances, who said on his Obi One podcast: “You were the captain in that match and you make those statements. If you’re already tired, raise your hands, leave, and we move on. No player is bigger than the club.”

In addition, according to British outlet The Telegraph, tensions within the club had reached the dressing room because during the match against PSG, Fernández confronted goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen after an error that ended a possible comeback, even throwing the ball at him. The incident further strained the atmosphere inside the squad, despite the Argentine serving as vice-captain because of Reece James’s injury.

The former Defensa y Justicia player is under contract with Chelsea until 2032, but after this scandal his future is unclear just months before the 2026 World Cup. What is clear is that he will not be part of Saturday’s game against Port Vale, kicking off at 1:15 p.m. Argentina time, in the FA Cup quarterfinals, nor Sunday the 12th against Pep Guardiola’s side in the Premier League. Will there be a pardon?

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.