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The Argentine midfielder is back in pre-season training and has apologised to the group.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has confirmed that the squad has moved on from the recent controversy surrounding midfielder Enzo Fernandez.
What happened?
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The Argentine international faced criticism after livestreaming a racist song following Argentina's Copa America victory over Colombia.
Fernandez has since apologised to his teammates and the club for his actions following an Instagram posy. The midfielder held a meeting with his colleagues to address the issue, with Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana among those present.
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What Maresca said about squad harmony
Maresca insists that the situation has been resolved and that the squad is now focused on preparing for the upcoming season. The Italian boss praised Fernandez for taking responsibility for his actions and emphasised the importance of forgiveness within the team.
Speaking ahead of the Blues’ game with Club America, Maresca revealed that the meeting between Fernandez and his teammates was productive and that the squad is now united.
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“To be honest, we all feel very comfortable, very good because Enzo is back. He had a chat with all of us just to clarify there were no bad intentions and the lads all accepted,” said the Chelsea head coach.
”Since yesterday’s session, last night, everything was like before in terms of they were all together, all speaking, all laughing. Normal situation.
“There is no mystery. The meeting was between me, Enzo, a few players to clarify the situation. There is nothing more to add.
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06:57 - 24.07.2024
We spoke with Enzo: Maresca and Reece James break silence on Fernandez’s racism storm
The Chelsea head coach and club captain have addressed the recent controversy surrounding star midfielder Enzo Fernandez.
“We all make mistakes. We have to be good to apologise because sometimes we struggle even to apologise. Enzo apologised already four or five times (the first one was via social media two weeks ago). They have all accepted it.
”Since last night the situation is completely normal. Everyone is speaking with each other, everyone is laughing. This is exactly what I expected because I knew there were never any bad intentions and they are all good people. But all of us, sometimes we make mistakes.“
What comes next?
The Chelsea midfield man is unlikely to get minutes against Club America in Atlanta having just returned to pre-season training.
Maresca is seeking his first win as Blues head coach following a draw with Wrexham and heavy defeat by Celtic.
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