Bronze gunning for another ‘iconic’ Wembley final as Chelsea prepare to face Spurs
Video credit: TNT Sports
Enzo Fernandez has been dropped from Chelsea’s squad for the next two games, head coach Liam Rosenior has said, following comments he made over his future.
The Argentina midfielder said he did not know if he would be at the club next season following links with a move to Real Madrid.
Rosenior has since decided to leave Fernandez out of their Emirates FA Cup match against Port Vale – live on TNT Sports and HBO Max – as well as their Premier League clash against Manchester City.
“I spoke with Enzo about an hour ago,” Rosenior said in a press conference on Friday.
“As a football club, with me as part of the decision, he won’t be available for tomorrow’s game or Manchester City next Sunday.
“It’s disappointing for Enzo to speak that way. I have got no bad words to say about him but a line was crossed in terms of our culture and what we want to build.”
Speaking after Chelsea’s UEFA Champions League exit to Paris Saint-Germain last month, Fernandez was quizzed over his future at Stamford Bridge.
“I don’t know, there are eight games left and the FA Cup,” he responded. “There’s the World Cup, and then we’ll see.”
He continued to say that he was ”focused on Chelsea” but that he will ”see after the World Cup”.
However, he later added: “I’d like to live in Spain, I really like Madrid; it reminds me of Buenos Aires.
“Players live where they want. I’d live in Madrid. I get by in English, but I’d be more comfortable in Spanish.”
Rosenior went on to explain that “the door is not closed on Enzo” but it was the right call made to “respect the culture” at the club.
“Enzo, firstly, as a character, a person and a player, I have the utmost respect for what he has achieved and what he is as a player,” he said. “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, the players, we are aligned in every decision that we make. It was a joint decision.”
Fernandez and Cucurella comments ‘stem from a difficult 10 days’
In a similar case, Marc Cucurella said that it would be “hard to turn down” a move to his former club Barcelona, while on international duty in Spain.
Rosenior said that the duo’s comments were “not ideal” but were the product of a tricky spell on the pitch for The Blues.
“A lot of this stems from a difficult 10 days in terms of results we have had – probably the most difficult for me as a player or manager,” he said.
“I’ll go back to the first game against Paris St-Germain. It all fell apart in 15 minutes and there was a huge emotional dump that fell through into the next three games.
“The comments from Enzo and Marc Cucurella’s interview both stem from that. It actually stems from a good place where they want the club to succeed.
“But in those moments, we need more emotional stability as a group of players.”
On Cucurella and whether he would face the same sanctions, Rosenior added: “That’s a separate case. Marc is available and will be involved tomorrow.
“Everybody knows Marc’s character. He is passionate and he wants to do well. It was a long interview. He spoke his mind.
“Marc is fully committed. He wants to be here. He has made that very, very clear to me and he believes in where we are going.
“I’ve told the players from day one that if they have any issues on how we do things, speak to me or sporting directors.
“My disappointment in Marc’s interview was where it went to. I think he should’ve spoken to us first about how he was feeling. I want players to know they can speak openly and honestly for the benefit of the football club. As a football club, we know we need to improve.
“We know what we’re going to do in the summer to achieve those objectives.”
Stream the Premier League, men’s and women’s FA Cup, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League and more live on TNT Sports and HBO Max
