Enzo Fernandez has apologised to Chelsea but ‘still hurdles to overcome’, says Liam Rosenior

Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior has confirmed Enzo Fernandez has apologised to him and the club for his behaviour but said there are still issues with the midfielder that need to be resolved.

Fernandez was suspended by the club for two games, including Chelsea’s Premier League game at home to Manchester City on Sunday, for comments made to the media in recent weeks. The 25-year-old criticised Chelsea’s decision to get rid of previous head coach Enzo Maresca in January and also hinted he wants to live in Madrid on a few occasions, sparking speculation he is angling for a transfer to Real Madrid.

“I have had three to four conversations with Enzo, he has apologised to me and the club,” Rosenior said at a news conference on Friday. “We will deal with that after the massive game on Sunday.

“It was a serious meeting about something very serious. I have said every step along the way, I am not questioning Enzo’s character or who he is as a person. I believe people make mistakes and you can’t overstep the punishment for the mistake.

“We have made a sanction, we made a decision, I made a decision and what I want for Enzo is to go on from here and have an outstanding career.”

Fernandez, who also sat out the FA Cup quarter-final victory over Port Vale last weekend, is due to be available for selection once more against Manchester United next week.

However, Rosenior admitted that there are still some things which need to be sorted out. When asked if it is a case of forgive and forget, he added: “He won’t play on Sunday but hopefully after that he will be a massive part of the group moving forward.

“There are still a few hurdles that need to be overcome that I won’t go in to, but at the same time I want every single player focused on the huge run-in.

“Football is a team sport, it’s not about individuals. It’s not about shooting yourself in the foot. There are certain values and cultures that I believe in, that the club believe in, which makes the team stronger if you get that right.”