Maresca Confronts First Chelsea Crisis Amid Fernandez Racism Controversy

What should have been a moment of celebration for Argentina has instead sparked controversy, overshadowing their Copa America victory and complicating Chelsea's pre-season. Enzo Fernandez is at the center of the storm after live-streaming himself and his teammates singing a racist and transphobic chant about France on the team bus following their win over Colombia.

Fernandez has issued an apology for his part in the incident, but the backlash suggests that forgiveness may not come easily. Chelsea has a strong tradition of Black French players, such as Marcel Desailly and N'Golo Kante, and the current squad includes several players from similar backgrounds.

Fernandez’s actions have not been well received by his teammates, leaving newly appointed head coach Enzo Maresca with a significant issue to address before the season starts.

Racism & transphobia storm

In a baffling move, Enzo Fernandez and his Argentina teammates chose to engage in a racist and transphobic chant against France following their victory over Colombia in the Copa America final in Miami. This behavior is particularly perplexing given the historical tensions between the two nations, which were heightened after the 2022 World Cup final. During that tournament, Kylian Mbappe, a key player for France, drew criticism from Argentina for his remarks on South American football.

For reasons that remain unclear, the Albiceleste squad decided to revive hostilities with their European counterparts after securing back-to-back Copa America titles. Fernandez broadcast an Instagram Live session to his 11 million followers, capturing himself and his teammates singing derogatory lyrics about France. The video abruptly ends when someone shouts for it to be "cut off" after the chant about Angola, which included offensive references to "trans people"—a term linked to Mbappe's connection with transgender model Ines Rau.

'Unabashed racism'

Enzo Fernandez faces a challenging return to pre-season at Chelsea following his controversial behavior. His participation in a racist and transphobic chant has not only angered some of his teammates but has also led to a few unfollowing him on Instagram after the video surfaced.

Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana, a Frenchman of Ivorian descent, took a firm stance by condemning the racist content in the video on his Instagram story. Striker David Datro Fofana echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the need for strong condemnation of all forms of racism in football.

The situation has also attracted attention from football's governing bodies. The French Football Federation has lodged a formal complaint with FIFA, condemning the "racist and discriminatory" chant. In their statement, the FFF President, Philippe Diallo, expressed strong disapproval and announced intentions to take legal action against both the Argentine Football Association and FIFA for the offensive remarks.

FIFA has acknowledged the incident and stated, "FIFA is aware of a video circulating on social media, and the matter is under review. FIFA strongly condemns any form of discrimination by players, fans, or officials."

'I am truly sorry'

Fernandez's apology came a day later via an Instagram story, notably written in Comic Sans font. However, the statement did not explain why he and his teammates had learned the discriminatory lyrics and chose to sing them.

"I want to apologise sincerely for a video posted on my Instagram channel during the national team celebrations. The song includes highly offensive language and there is absolutely no excuse for these words.

"I stand against discrimination in all forms and apologise for getting caught up in the euphoria of our Copa America celebrations. That video, that moment, those words, do not reflect my character or beliefs. I am truly sorry."

It has been reported that the midfielder also sent a private apology to his teammates, which was shared with the entire squad.

Chelsea forced to take action

Chelsea responded with a statement indicating their intention to take decisive action despite acknowledging the apology.

A club spokesperson commented: "Chelsea Football Club condemns all forms of discriminatory behavior. We pride ourselves on being a diverse and inclusive club where individuals from all backgrounds feel welcome. We recognize and appreciate the public apology from our player and will use this as a chance to educate. An internal disciplinary procedure has been initiated."

The outcome of this procedure is still pending. However, The Telegraph reports that Fernandez is likely to face only a fine rather than a more severe penalty.

Rumours of a rift

Regardless of the outcome, new Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca faces a significant challenge early in his tenure. Fernandez's actions have clearly caused a rift within the squad, with reports suggesting that as many as ten teammates have unfollowed him on social media—a modern indicator of discord—or have otherwise distanced themselves.

The situation has reportedly caused turmoil in Chelsea's pre-season preparations, with some insiders questioning Fernandez's judgment. The Sun has described the pre-season plans as being in "meltdown" due to the fallout from the incident.

Complicating matters, Nicolas Jackson, one of Fernandez's Black teammates, attempted to defend him by sharing photos and videos of Fernandez interacting positively with fans. Jackson later deleted these posts, suggesting internal confusion and ongoing tension.

Despite these issues, recent training sessions under Maresca show the squad engaged and in high spirits, indicating that the team might be working to move past the incident. Fernandez will likely not know the full extent of his colleagues' feelings, especially those of the French players, until he returns at the end of July.

The coming weeks will be critical as Maresca navigates this delicate situation. Reintegrating the £106 million signing will be one of the first major tests of his managerial capabilities.

Bad omen?

Even if Enzo Fernandez's return to Chelsea proceeds smoothly, the surrounding controversy will have been an unwelcome distraction for Maresca early in his tenure. The new head coach and the club are aiming for a far more successful 2024-25 season after two disappointing years, particularly the nightmarish 2022-23 campaign, which saw the Blues finish 12th in the Premier League.

The gravity of Fernandez's actions aside, Chelsea's pre-season preparations have faced significant disruptions over the past two years, setting a negative tone for the seasons that followed.

In 2022, signs of discord between then-manager Thomas Tuchel and the new ownership group, led by Todd Boehly, became evident. Tuchel was frustrated by the club's transfer dealings and the "exhausting" US tour, publicly criticizing his squad's quality after a 4-0 defeat to Arsenal in a friendly. His successor, Graham Potter, later described the pre-season as "the worst [the players] had ever had."

Last year, under Mauricio Pochettino, pre-season injuries further disrupted preparations. Wesley Fofana suffered a ruptured ACL, while Christopher Nkunku sustained knee ligament damage in a friendly against Borussia Dortmund on a problematic pitch. Additionally, Trevoh Chalobah faced a six-month absence due to a thigh injury, and Benoit Badiashile missed the entire pre-season with a hamstring issue from the previous campaign.

With such a history of setbacks, Maresca will be eager to prevent Fernandez's misconduct from becoming a defining issue for his side's season. For now, only time will reveal how the situation unfolds.

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