Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernández has been left out of the squad for two matches after what the club described as disciplinary action, a decision that has sparked criticism from his agent and former player Javier Pastore.
Speaking to The Athletic, Pastore defended his client and described the suspension as “completely unfair,” insisting there was no justification for the punishment.
Chelsea reportedly took action after comments made by Fernández in a televised interview were interpreted as inappropriate, including remarks about his admiration for Madrid when discussing preferred cities to live in Europe.
In the interview, Fernández said he often tells his wife he likes Madrid, comparing its lifestyle to Buenos Aires. The comments were later viewed by some as fueling speculation about his future.
Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior confirmed on Friday that the Argentine international will miss the next two matches as a result of the internal disciplinary decision.
However, Pastore said Fernández was shocked by the club’s response. “Enzo didn’t understand the situation. The punishment is completely unfair,” he said. “There is absolutely no reason or justification for the suspension.”
He added that while Fernández accepted the manager’s decision professionally, he disagreed with the severity of the sanction.
“When the coach told him, he accepted it as a professional, but we don’t understand it because he didn’t mention any club and did not say he wants to leave Chelsea,” Pastore said.
The agent also suggested that communication between the player’s camp and the club has been strained since the incident.
“I received a message from the club saying they wanted to talk about the comments. I replied, but they did not respond,” he said.
Pastore further revealed that discussions over a potential contract extension have stalled, saying negotiations were previously held but did not progress due to disagreements over terms.
“For now, we’ve decided to pause everything,” he said, adding that concerns over “respect and how matters are handled” have influenced their position.
He said that the two-match suspension may reflect broader tensions within the club rather than the comments themselves, suggesting Chelsea may be “sending a message” with the disciplinary action.
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