Chelsea entered the international break with a fresh complication when Enzo Fernández placed his future in doubt. The club have responded by suspending Fernández for the next two matches: the FA Cup quarter-final with Port Vale on Saturday and the following weekend’s Premier League fixture with Manchester City.

Liam Rosenior now faces a selection problem that affects both games. Sweeping changes are expected for the tie with Port Vale. The third-tier visitors are struggling at the foot of League One and are unlikely to pose a serious threat to Chelsea’s progression to the FA Cup semifinals. Fernández was always unlikely to feature heavily in that cup battle and had been being preserved for the City duel at Stamford Bridge, but the suspension removes that option.

Fernández, the Argentine who provided the equalizing goal in the draw with City in January, will be missed in the centre of Chelsea’s attacking play. His absence, though, opens up alternatives. Cole Palmer and João Pedro are the obvious candidates to fill the creative void.

Palmer and Fernández have been contesting the No.10 spot in recent weeks, with Palmer often shunted to the right wing. “The England international is an undeniable threat no matter where he features across the forward line, but it’s in attacking midfield where Palmer can be most influential.” Rosenior will almost certainly consider moving the ex-City man into the No.10 role for the Manchester City game, using his movement and ingenuity to unsettle Rodri and Co.

João Pedro is another clear option. He is not expected to feature against Port Vale in the cup but will be important for the City match at Stamford Bridge. Pedro has scored 11 times during Rosenior’s stint on the touchline and has monopolized the centre forward position, limiting Liam Delap’s opportunities. Pedro can operate as a No.10 and might drop deeper to allow Delap to start. Liam Delap has been hugely disappointing since arriving in west London, but his speed and physical presence could prove beneficial against Pep Guardiola’s aggressive defensive line.

Rosenior’s immediate task is pragmatic: rotate for Port Vale, then pick the combination that gives Chelsea the best chance against Manchester City without Fernández.

Chelsea have suspended Enzo Fernández for the club’s next two matches, a sanction that his representative describes as unjustified and excessive. The decision follows comments Fernández made in an interview that prompted coach Rosenior to say “a line was crossed.”

Javier Pastore, the player’s agent, told The Athletic: “The punishment is completely unfair—banning the player for two matches.” He added: “I think it’s far too harsh given Chelsea’s current situation, and there’s no real reason or justification for why he has been banned … at no point did he show a lack of respect towards the club, his teammates, the fans or anyone else.”

Pastore said Fernández was surprised by the punishment. “Enzo didn’t understand the situation,” Pastore said. “When the coach told him, he accepted it because he’s a highly professional guy who’s always fully committed wherever he is and respects decisions, but we don’t understand the punishment because he doesn’t mention any club or say he wants to leave Chelsea, far from it.

“He only mentions Madrid, the city, because he was asked which European city he’d like to live in one day, and he said Madrid because of the language, because it’s similar to Buenos Aires and because it’s logical—it’s only natural for an Argentine to say that—and also because of the culture, the weather … but at no point does he say he wants to leave Chelsea or London.”

The suspension removes Fernández from selection for Chelsea’s FA Cup trip to Port Vale and the Premier League meeting with Manchester City next weekend. Both fixtures carry significant weight for the club, with a place in the FA Cup semi-finals at stake and a potential swing in the Champions League race.

Pastore confirmed there had been “talks” to renew Fernández’s contract, which expires in 2032, but the two parties “couldn’t reach an agreement.” He suggested the stalled negotiations could have “annoyed the club,” and said the camp will meet Chelsea again after the World Cup, where Fernández will star for Argentina. He warned: “There are other factors that influence decisions, whether it’s salary, respect or the way things are handled … there are so many things that we aren’t seeing at the moment—or at least I, as an agent, am not seeing—that suggest the club is not handling things in the best possible way with him.”

Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior has confirmed vice-captain Enzo Fernández will be unavailable for the club’s next two fixtures after a series of public comments about his future.

“I spoke with Enzo an hour ago,” Rosenior told assembled media on Friday ahead of the FA Cup quarterfinal against Port Vale. “As a football club, with me as part of the decision, he won’t be available for tomorrow’s game or Manchester City next Sunday.

Date

Opponent

Competition

Saturday, April 4

Port Vale (H)

FA Cup quarterfinal

Sunday, April 12

Man City (H)

Premier League

Rosenior stressed the choice was collective. “In terms of the decision,” the 41-year-old outlined, “it’s not all about me, or the sporting directors, the ownership, the players, we are aligned in our decision.” The two-game sanction removes Chelsea’s second-top scorer and leading assist provider for a vital Premier League meeting with Manchester City on April 12.

The manager connected the punishment to a turbulent spell of results and public remarks. “A lot of this stems from a difficult 10 days,” Rosenior said, pointing to an end-of-March run that included elimination from the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain and defeats to Newcastle United and Everton. Chelsea’s 8–2 aggregate defeat to PSG on March 17 preceded Fernández’s repeated, ambiguous reply to transfer rumours: “We’ll see.”

After a “great conversation” with Rosenior Fernández described himself as “very comfortable” at Stamford Bridge, but while on international duty he spoke more openly. In an interview for Avirales he said: “I’d like to live in Spain, I really like Madrid; it reminds me of Buenos Aires,” and “Players live where they want. I’d live in Madrid. I get by in English, but I’d be more comfortable in Spanish.” Those comments appear to have been decisive for the club.

Rosenior left the door open for Fernández’s return after the sanction. “Enzo, firstly, as a character, a person and a player, I have the utmost respect,” Rosenior gushed, adding there has been “no lack of commitment” in his performances. “He’s frustrated because he wants us to be successful. “… The door is not closed on Enzo. It’s a sanction. You have to protect the culture and in terms of that, a line was crossed.”

On the wider squad, Rosenior said: “I had a fantastic chat with Marc yesterday, half an hour in my office,” and: “My disappointment in Marc’s interview was where it went to, I think he should’ve spoke to us first about how he was feeling. As a football club, we know we need to improve. We know what we’re going to do in the summer to achieve those objectives.”