Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca is confident that midfielder Enzo Fernández will smoothly reintegrate into the squad despite the controversy surrounding a recent video in which Fernández and some of his Argentina teammates chanted racist and transphobic slurs about the French national team.
Fernández, who is joining Chelsea’s pre-season tour in the United States after participating in the Copa América, faces disciplinary action from both FIFA and Chelsea. The incident, which sparked widespread criticism including from Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana, has led many Chelsea players to unfollow Fernández on social media.
In response to the backlash, Fernández issued a public apology on Instagram, expressing regret for the offensive content and stating that the video did not reflect his beliefs or character. He also apologized privately to his Chelsea teammates.
Maresca, speaking ahead of Chelsea’s first pre-season match against Wrexham, emphasized that both the player and the club have taken responsibility for the incident. “The player has apologized, and the club has done the same. I don’t think there is anything more to add. They are all human beings and I believe there are no bad intentions from any of them,” Maresca said.
Chelsea captain Reece James expressed hope that the team can move forward once Fernández rejoins them. “It was a difficult situation, but Enzo has acknowledged his mistake and apologized. I hope everyone can be on the same page and move forward,” James stated.
Meanwhile, Chelsea decided not to include Trevoh Chalobah in the U.S. tour due to the abundance of options in central defense and right-back positions. The club is also reported to have made a €20 million offer for Villarreal’s Denmark Under-21 goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen.
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