Enzo Fernández’s agent: Rossini’s decision is unfair… and a move away is a possibility after the World Cup

Chelsea manager Liam Rossiniore announced during a press conference on Friday that Fernandes had been omitted from the squad for the upcoming matches against Port Vale in the FA Cup and Manchester City in the Premier League, citing the player’s recent comments which the manager felt had “crossed the line”.

The 25-year-old has raised doubts about his future with the Blues after telling Lazo TV, in response to a question about which European city he would prefer to live in: “I always tell my wife that if I had to choose a city in Europe to live in, I’d love Madrid because it’s very similar to Buenos Aires in terms of lifestyle and everything.”.

Pastore clarified that the player’s comments were not related to his professional future but were merely a spontaneous answer to a question in a media interview, noting that Chelsea’s management had not responded to his clarifications before announcing the sanction immediately upon the player’s arrival at the club.

When asked about Enzo’s reaction to the two-match ban, Pastore replied in an interview with the British newspaper *The Athletic*: “He hasn’t taken the situation in, and when the manager told him, he accepted it because he is extremely professional, always committed and respects decisions, but we don’t understand the justification for the punishment; he didn’t mention any other club and didn’t say he wanted to leave Chelsea, but spoke about Madrid as a city because he was asked where he would like to live one day, and it is natural for any Argentine to choose Madrid for its language, culture and climate, which is similar to Buenos Aires, but at no point did he say he wanted to leave Chelsea or London.”

He added: “How was the suspension decided? I received a message from the club on Thursday whilst Enzo was on his return journey to London. They told me they wanted to discuss his comments and sent me a link to the interview. I replied that there was no problem and that I had watched the interview and found nothing in it that was disrespectful to the club, his teammates or the fans. I’ll say it again: he didn’t say he’d rather live in Madrid than London right now. When I replied to their message, I didn’t get a response, and it seems they’d already decided on the punishment before he arrived.”

He continued: “The punishment is completely unfair. Suspending a player for two crucial matches for Chelsea in their battle to qualify for the Champions League – a player who is one of the team’s most important players, its mainstay and its captain on the pitch – is very harsh, and there is no real reason or justification for this suspension given the team’s current situation.”

He continued: “I understand the management’s position and their reaction, but the truth is that the player did not mention any club, and what was reported in the media is the responsibility of the journalists who drew that conclusion themselves. So I understand the club’s position, but I do not understand the punishment.”

Read also: Video: Enzo Fernández receives a positive message from the heart of Real Madrid

He continued: “Renewal talks began last December or January, but we couldn’t reach an agreement. As his contract runs for another six years, we decided not to renew it because the terms weren’t right. Based on his current form, he deserves more than he’s currently earning, and perhaps this has upset the club. We decided to postpone negotiations to focus on the team’s objectives of qualifying for the Champions League and the player’s participation in the World Cup. Our plan is to meet again after the World Cup, and if we do not reach an agreement, we will look for other options.”

He continued: “Enzo is a pillar and the team captain, and from a sporting perspective he is happy to have won trophies last year and earned the respect of the Premier League, but there are other factors influencing decisions such as salary, respect and the way he is treated. As his agent, I feel the club is not treating him in the best possible way at the moment. Suspending the vice-captain for two matches without a logical reason suggests the club is trying to send a message, and we will understand the real reasons in due course.”

He concluded: “Enzo is not afraid of the reaction of the fans or his teammates, because he always speaks clearly in the dressing room and is a natural leader. He would also like to apologise to any fan who felt offended, whilst emphasising that he did not speak about another club or express a desire to leave, and that everything that was raised was merely media speculation based on his words.”