Chelsea Keep Fernandez Out of Man City Clash Despite Apology

Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior has said Enzo Fernandez will not feature in Sunday’s Premier League game against Manchester City, even after apologising for comments that stirred uncertainty about his future.

Fernandez, who has been linked with Real Madrid, had suggested during a podcast appearance that he would like to live in Madrid, fuelling speculation during the international break.

The comments came shortly after he hinted at doubts over his Chelsea future following the club’s Champions League loss to Paris Saint-Germain.

The 25-year-old midfielder, under contract until 2032, was dropped for the FA Cup quarter-final victory over Port Vale and remains sidelined for the upcoming league fixture.

“He’s apologised to me, he’s apologised to the club,” Rosenior said on Friday.

“It’s a serious meeting about something very serious,” he added. “I said every single step along this way, I’m not questioning Enzo’s character, I’m not questioning who he is as a person.

“I believe people make mistakes, and you can’t overstep the punishment for the mistake.”

Rosenior stressed that the disciplinary decision stands.

“I think we’ve made a sanction, we made a decision, I made a decision, and what I want for Enzo is for him to go on here and have an outstanding career,” he said.

“He won’t play on Sunday but hopefully after that he’ll be a massive part of the group moving forward.”

He acknowledged there are still unresolved issues but declined to provide details, adding that the focus remains on the team’s run-in.

“There’s still a few hurdles that need to be overcome that I won’t go into. But at the same time I want every player really, really focused now on a huge run-in.”

Dismissing concerns about the impact of Fernandez’s absence, Rosenior said team values take priority.

“Football is a team sport, it’s not about individuals,” he said. “There are certain values and cultures… that makes the team stronger if you get that right.”

Chelsea, sixth in the table, are targeting a top-five finish to secure Champions League football, with Rosenior confident his side can compete strongly despite recent struggles.

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