Enzo Maresca has insisted he will not have an issue re-integrating Enzo Fernández into his Chelsea squad despite ongoing disciplinary proceedings into a video that showed the Argentina international chanting racist and transphobic slurs about members of the France team.
Fernández is due to link up with his club teammates for their tour of the United States on Monday after his participation in the Copa América. Defender Wesley Fofana – who won his first senior cap for France last year and is also part of the squad in the US – criticised the “uninhibited racism” in the video. He and a number of other Chelsea players have unfollowed Fernández on Instagram, while Fifa has started an investigation into the incident.
As well as apologising with a post on Instagram that said that the video did not “reflect my beliefs or my character”, Fernández is understood to have said sorry in a message that was sent to his Chelsea teammates in a private group. The 23-year-old is expected to be fined and sent on a racism-education course after Chelsea said they had “instigated an internal disciplinary procedure” against their £106.8m midfielder.
Speaking in Santa Clara ahead of the opening game of Maresca’s reign against Wrexham, the former Leicester manager, who was appointed to replace Mauricio Pochettino in June, said that he hoped all involved move on from the incident. “It is quite easy in terms of the player doing a statement to apologise,” he said. “The club did the same, so I don’t think there is something to add in terms of the situation. It is already clear and clarified.”
Asked whether there could be an issue for the squad’s harmony, Maresca added: “I don’t think so. They are all human beings. I don’t think there are any bad intentions from any of them. I don’t think when Enzo is back that we will have any situations. Enzo clarified the situation, the club the same, so there is nothing to add. They are not bad people or human beings. It can happen but I don’t think there are any problems at all. I spoke with Enzo and all of them.”
The Chelsea captain, Reece James, also revealed that he had spoken to Fernández after the incident and would make a call on whether he needed to play peacemaker if necessary. “It’s a difficult situation and Enzo has acknowledged he was wrong and quickly put his hand up to apologise to the club, team and people offended,” said James. “Enzo hasn’t arrived yet. I will have to make that judgment [on whether to get involved] when he does. I hope everyone can move forward with the situation. I’ve spoken to Enzo and everyone involved but the conversations have to stay in house.”
Meanwhile, Maresca admitted the decision not to select Trevoh Chalobah for the US tour was taken because of the number of options he has in central defence and at right-back. The 25-year-old is understood to feel that he is being forced out against his will, with Chelsea hoping to sell the academy graduate for around £30m this summer.
“The Trevoh situation for me is quite clear, we have Axel [Disasi] there, we have Tosin [Adarabioyo] there, we have Wes [Fofana] who in these two weeks has worked very good and is finally back, we have some very young profiles like Josh Acheampong who is doing fantastic,” said Maresca. “It’s a sad decision but we have to take the decision.”
Chelsea are reported to have offered €20m to Villarreal for Denmark Under-21 goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen.
