Enzo Fernandez laughs with Marc Cucurella as Chelsea vice-captain sits behind bench after being suspended for FA Cup clash over Real Madrid comments

The Argentine midfielder was recently dropped from the Chelsea squad by manager Liam Rosenior following a highly publicised flirtation with Real Madrid. Despite the ongoing drama surrounding his sudden two-match ban, Fernandez appeared to be in extremely high spirits. Spotted sitting directly behind the Chelsea bench in matching grey club winter coats, Fernandez was pictured sharing a massive laugh with full-back Cucurella, seemingly unfazed by the controversy surrounding his future at Stamford Bridge.

Fernandez's absence comes at the worst possible time for the Blues. The 25-year-old was hit with a two-match suspension by the club - ruling him out of Saturday's 7-0 FA Cup win against Port Vale and a high-stakes Premier League encounter with Manchester City. Rosenior confirmed the decision was made after a private meeting, stating that the vice-captain "crossed a line in terms of our culture" with his recent remarks.

The suspension stems from a revealing YouTube interview where the £107 million man dropped a massive hint about his desired career path. When pressed on his future, Fernandez confessed: “I'd like to live in Spain. I really like Madrid; it reminds me of Buenos Aires. Players live where they want. I'd live in Madrid. I get by in English, but I'd be more comfortable in Spanish.”

The heavy-handed disciplinary action from Rosenior and the Chelsea hierarchy has sparked outrage from Fernandez's camp. His agent, former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Javier Pastore, launched a scathing attack on the club's decision, labelling the punishment "completely unfair." Pastore argued that the ban does not fit the alleged offence, especially given how vital the upcoming fixtures are to Chelsea's season.

While Fernandez and Cucurella share jokes in the stands, his team-mates played out a 7-0 demolition of Port Vale to secure a place in the semi-finals of the FA Cup. Fernandez will have to sit out the impending blockbuster clash against Manchester City, leaving an already heavily-scrutinised Chelsea side to navigate one of their toughest tests of the season without a key midfielder.