Chelsea: Enzo Maresca explains angry Enzo Fernandez reaction during Fulham derby win

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·30 août 2025

Chelsea: Enzo Maresca explains angry Enzo Fernandez reaction during Fulham derby win

Blues midfielder did not look happy at half-time of controversial 2-0 victory at Stamford Bridge

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Enzo Maresca has explained Enzo Fernandez’s anger during Chelsea’s hugely controversial victory over rivals Fulham.

The Argentine midfielder appeared animated after the half-time whistle during Saturday’s incident-packed west London derby in the Premier League, with video footage that circulated on social media seeming to show him taking off his captain’s armband and offering it to fitness coach Marcos Alvarez.

Reports suggested that Fernandez also appeared angry after Joao Pedro’s headed opener shortly before the interval at Stamford Bridge, though he responded in the second half by netting a penalty to put Chelsea 2-0 up after a handball decision against Ryan Sessegnon - one of a number of key VAR calls that went against Fulham on the day to leave manager Marco Silva seething.

Asked about Fernandez’s angry reaction after the game, Maresca put it down to simple frustration at an uncharacteristically lacklustre first-half showing by a player who drives such consistently high standards.

“The answer is, he's a Club World Cup winner, he's a World Cup winner,” said the Chelsea boss. “And I think probably he's the only player in the world to win both titles.

“And when he's not good enough, he can recognise. And probably he was upset for that. Because in the first half I think he was not good enough.

“Then in the second half he was, like the rest, brilliant. So probably the reason why he was not happy is because he can see that he was not good enough.

“And in the second half I think he was brilliant. But at the end of the game they were all dancing or celebrating the win. So Enzo was there and he was happy.”

Any differences between Fernandez and Alvarez appeared to be quickly put to bed, with the duo seen embracing at full-time.

“No idea, probably,” Maresca said when told that Fernandez appeared to be pointing to Alvarez during his angry outburst. “If you see when we scored with Joao, I immediately left the bench because I was more worried to improve in the second half.

“So I came back in the changing room to prepare the tactical board and everything. So I didn't see nothing.

“If you see when Joao scored, I left and I was already inside. So I didn't see nothing. I will ask now, but I'm not worried about Enzo's reaction. I'm more happy about the win and the second half.”