Chelsea's midfield maestro Enzo Fernandez remains sidelined, his apology not enough to overturn an internal club suspension. Manager Liam Rosenior confirmed the Argentine's two-game ban stands, keeping him out of this Sunday's crucial Premier League clash against Manchester City at Stamford Bridge.

Fernandez, 25, was disciplined after comments on a podcast expressing a desire to live in Madrid—fueling intense speculation about a potential future move to Real Madrid. Despite apologizing to the manager and the club, the World Cup winner has "a few hurdles" left to clear, according to Rosenior.

"He won’t play on Sunday but, hopefully, after that, he’ll be a massive part of the group moving forward," Rosenior stated, emphasizing the need for total focus during a critical run-in as Chelsea battles for a Champions League spot.

The situation casts a shadow over the club's record signing, who arrived from Benfica for £107 million in early 2023. Rosenior stressed the importance of team culture over individuals, noting, "Football is a team sport... There are certain values and cultures that I believe in that make the team stronger."

For now, Chelsea must navigate a pivotal match against the reigning champions without their star playmaker, as this internal saga continues to unfold off the pitch.