Enzo Fernandes removed ahead of Chelsea’s FA Cup match against Port Vale as Liam Roseniol admits he ‘crossed the line’ by wooing him to leave the club
Enzo Fernandes will not feature for Chelsea this weekend (Image: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior has confirmed that Enzo Fernandes will miss this weekend’s FA Cup match against Port Vale because he has “crossed the line” and continues to negotiate his departure.
The midfielder is usually a regular in the midfield, but will be absent from this weekend’s game as he has been linked with a move to Real Madrid.
Fernandes moved to Stamford Bridge after the 2022 World Cup for the club’s highest-ever transfer fee and has been a central figure. In recent weeks, he has refused to engage with the west Londoners and admitted he will reevaluate his future after this summer’s World Cup.
Since then, he has talked about Madrid as a great place to live. Fernandes said: “I want to live in Spain. I really like Madrid. It reminds me of Buenos Aires. Players live wherever they like. I want to live in Madrid. I can get by in English, but I feel more comfortable in Spanish.”
Rosenior admitted he had tried to protect his players when he had to address his future, but was forced to act in light of recent comments.
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The Blues head coach said: “I spoke to Enzo. As a member of the football club, he will not be available for tomorrow’s game or for Manchester City. It’s a shame to speak like that. As a person and as a human being, you can’t say bad words. But a line has been crossed and we had to impose a sanction.”
According to reports, Fernandes’ comments have not been well received by some in Chelsea’s dressing room. The club is in the midst of a difficult period, having suffered four consecutive defeats and their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League have ended.
Enzo Fernandes’ comments spark backlash (Image: Visionhaus/Getty Images)
Real has long been an attractive place for South American players to play. They currently have a number of players representing Brazil, including Vinicius Junior. Chelsea would be loath to lose Fernandes, who has formed a great midfield partnership with Moises Caicedo.
Mr. Rosenior recently defended Mr. Fernandez, claiming that he had had conversations that made his commitment clear.
“I had a good chat with Enzo this morning,” the Chelsea manager said. “He made it clear to me that he is really happy to be at this club. He said that things can be misunderstood in translation. He is giving it his all.”
