Chelsea get Enzo Fernandez ban verdict as Liam Rosenior fired Man City warning

Enzo Fernandez will serve the the final game of his in-house suspension when Chelsea play Manchester City this weekend.

Liam Rosenior will be heavily scrutinised if Chelsea lose the midfield battle when they face Manchester City this weekend. Enzo Fernandez looks set to miss the Blues' clash against Pep Guardiola's side at Stamford Bridge on Sunday as he serves the final game of his in-house suspension.

The midfielder was issued a two-match ban by Chelsea upon his return from international duty. During an appearance on the Avirales YouTube channel over the break, he expressed his desire to move to the Spanish capital one day.

A couple of days later, Fernandez doubled down in an interview on Luzu TV, claiming he 'always' tells his wife that he would 'really like' to live in Madrid. Then, speaking to reporters ahead of the FA Cup quarter-final, Rosenior announced that the Argentine had been sanctioned.

The 41-year-old revealed that, after talks with Fernandez, the club decided to make him unavailable for selection for two games. Following the 7-0 win over Port Vale on Saturday, Rosenior insisted that his relationship with Fernandez 'is in a very good place' despite dropping him.

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As it stands, the midfielder looks set also to miss the game against Manchester City on Sunday, as planned. So, with that being said, journalists at football.london have debated whether Rosenior should lift the suspension and what the future holds for Fernandez.

Jake Stokes

Neither Liam Rosenior nor the Chelsea higher-ups will want to look weak or to be seen succumbing to player pressure in the public eye, but if the problem has been resolved behind-closed-door then they should drop the suspension.

So long as the dressing room are in agreement, the Blues boss should lift the ban and allow Enzo Fernandez to play this weekend. Chelsea are a much better team with him in the starting lineup, and that's a fact.

Of course, it could backfire, but UEFA Champions League qualification is on the line and Rosenior will earn the respect of his squad if it pays off; that's the risk he has to take. Although Fernandez flirted with a move to Real Madrid over the international break, I don't believe he'd throw in the towel, even if he does want to leave in the summer.

As for those in the boardroom, they'll want a strong hand if it turns out that Fernandez does actually want to leave. The Chelsea sporting directors will hardly be in a position to demand the best price possible if they have a high-value player rotting on the sidelines.

Bobby Vincent

I completely back the club's decision to ban Fernandez. No, he didn't mention Real Madrid specifically in his comments but he must've known what the implications were likely to be. Maybe he didn't think he would be banned for a couple of games, but there had to be consequences.

The comments were disrespectful, in my view, to a club he is contracted with for a long time yet. Chelsea are not a stepping stone club, the fans will not accept that.

Anything over a two-game ban would have been harsh but I think Chelsea have got this spot on and deserve credit. It will be really interesting to see how he reacts on the pitch when he returns to action and whether Rosenior will reintegrate him straight away.

By the sounds of it, Rosenior plans to use Fernandez when he is back in the squad. I'll be honest, though, I do expect him to leave in the summer even if sources close to the club are insistent he is not for sale.

Joe Doyle

Chelsea simply cannot lift their self-imposed suspension on Enzo Fernandez.

Yes, there is a lot on the line, and he's undoubtedly one of their best players. Against Manchester City, he could make all the difference.

But lifting the suspension would send the wrong message entirely about the standards at the club - both to players currently at Stamford Bridge and those they are trying to sign in the future. What Fernandez did was wrong, and the club have recognised that; whether banning him for two games was the correct decision or not, they cannot afford to row back on it.

To reverse their decision at the first point where it became difficult in any meaningful way would be to tacitly endorse his actions. It would say to the players, 'it's fine to disrespect the club - just make sure you do it before a big game so you don't get a full punishment.'

Whether or not he stays this summer is not really the point. The club can't afford to drop their standards just because a star player has decided to.