Enzo Fernandez made headlines last week after Chelsea decided to discipline him following comments that opened the door to a possible transfer to Real Madrid. However, that situation may be short-lived, with things potentially returning to how they were before.
“Chelsea are open to Enzo Fernandez captaining the side again this season and hope to reintegrate the midfielder after his comments over his future,” The Guardian reported on Tuesday. This means the midfielder would not only return to the team but could do so as one of the squad’s leaders.
Fernandez had been a key figure for Chelsea throughout the season, first under Enzo Maresca and then under Liam Rosenior. In fact, he has recorded 12 goals and 6 assists in 46 appearances for the Blues across the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, FA Cup, and EFL Cup.
Two additional stats highlight Enzo’s importance to Chelsea. First is his involvement: of the 46 matches he has played this season, 43 have been as a starter. He has also captained the team in 17 of those games, particularly in the absence of Reece James.
Reece James, captain of Chelsea.
Chelsea downplay Enzo’s captaincy role
Despite those strong numbers, reports about the possibility of Enzo Fernandez regaining the captaincy have been reportedly downplayed by Chelsea. “The situation is regarded as more nuanced. Fernandez was never officially made vice-captain and is viewed as one of several co-captains,” The Guardian reports.
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With Enzo unavailable due to disciplinary action in Saturday’s FA Cup match against Port Vale, combined with the injury that sidelined Reece James, Cole Palmer wore the captain’s armband. And Moises Caicedo is expected to be the captain next weekend in the Premier League clash against Manchester City.
What did Enzo Fernandez say?
The punishment imposed by Chelsea was explained by Liam Rosenior last Friday. “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,” said the coach. “It’s disappointing for Enzo to speak that way.”
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The decision stemmed from a series of public comments by Fernandez regarding a potential move to Real Madrid. He initially said he did not know what would happen with his career after the World Cup, despite being under contract with Chelsea. Days later, he described Madrid as his favorite city in Europe and admitted he would feel more comfortable there than in London due to language reasons.
