Enzo Fernandez will serve the second and final game of his club-imposed two-match suspension when Chelsea host Manchester City in a pivotal Premier League clash this weekend, with head coach Liam Rosenior confirming the Argentine international remains unavailable despite constructive talks and a personal apology.
The 25-year-old midfielder, who has been a key figure for the Blues, missed last weekend’s emphatic FA Cup victory over Port Vale and will now sit out Sunday’s high-stakes encounter against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City side at Stamford Bridge. The ban stems from comments Fernandez made during the recent international break, in which he appeared to flirt with the prospect of a future move to Real Madrid—remarks the club viewed as crossing a line.
Fernandez’s agent, Javier Pastore, initially described the punishment as “completely unfair.” However, more recent developments have shown a shift in tone, with the player reportedly apologising to the club and its staff. Rosenior himself confirmed he has held multiple positive conversations with Fernandez, describing the exchanges as constructive while stressing the seriousness of the matter.
“I’ve had a really good conversation myself—I had three or four with Enzo,” Rosenior revealed. “He’s apologised to me, he’s apologised to the club, and we’ll deal with that after a massive game on Sunday. It’s a serious meeting about something very serious.”
The Chelsea head coach was careful to separate the disciplinary issue from his personal regard for the player. “Enzo, I said in every single step along the way, I am not questioning who he is as a person. I believe people make mistakes and you can’t overstep the punishment for the mistake,” he added. “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 come on here and have an outstanding career.”
Rosenior went on to express optimism about Fernandez’s long-term future at the club, stating he hopes the midfielder will become “a massive part of the group moving forward” once the suspension is served. However, he introduced an element of intrigue by acknowledging that not everything has been fully resolved.
“There’s still a few hurdles that need to be overcome that I won’t go into,” Rosenior said cryptically. When pressed on the nature of these “hurdles,” he remained guarded: “No. There are still things in the air that I won’t speak about now. I have a very good relationship with Enzo, as all of us do, but there are still things that need to be cleared before I make a clear statement on the situation.”
Despite the lingering uncertainties, Rosenior indicated that these issues are unlikely to prevent Fernandez from returning for next weekend’s Premier League home fixture against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge. “Not in this moment,” he replied when asked if the hurdles could delay the player’s comeback.
The head coach also dismissed reports suggesting unrest in the Chelsea dressing room, denying claims that some players had approached him to question the decision to exclude Fernandez. Fernandez was spotted supporting his teammates from just behind the substitutes’ bench during the 7-0 thrashing of Port Vale, a gesture Rosenior appeared to appreciate as a sign of commitment.
Beyond the Fernandez situation, Chelsea face a mounting injury list ahead of the City game. Captain Reece James is running again after a hamstring issue but requires more time to recover. Levi Colwill has returned to full training following his serious anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury sustained in August, though the club is taking a cautious approach to his reintegration. Trevoh Chalobah, Jamie Gittens, and goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen are also sidelined.
As Chelsea prepare for what Rosenior described as a “huge run-in,” the handling of the Fernandez case represents the first major internal disciplinary test of his tenure. While the suspension will run its course against Manchester City, the manager’s measured tone—balancing accountability with support—suggests a desire to reintegrate the talented midfielder swiftly, provided the remaining issues are resolved.
For now, all focus remains on Sunday’s crucial Premier League showdown. Once that is out of the way, attention will inevitably turn to whether Enzo Fernandez can put the episode behind him and resume his role as a central figure in Chelsea’s ambitions.