Enzo Fernández spotted at Stamford Bridge with a smile despite two-match sanction from Chelsea

Even on the sidelines, Enzo Fernández is all smiles.

The Chelsea midfielder was spotted in the stands for today’s FA Cup quarter-final against Port Vale, just 24 hours after manager Liam Rosenior confirmed a two-match ban. The sanction follows comments Fernández made about his future during the international break — widely reported as him expressing interest in living in Madrid amid links to Real Madrid.

Rosenior, who called the remarks “a line was crossed,” confirmed the Argentine vice-captain would miss both the Port Vale clash and next weekend’s Premier League game against Manchester City.

Yet there was Enzo — cap on, puffer jacket zipped, big grin on his face — soaking up the atmosphere at the Bridge alongside teammates. Fabrizio Romano shared the images, captioning it: “following two match sanction decided by Chelsea with Rosenior… and with a smile on his face.”

🚨🔵 Enzo Fernández, at Stamford Bridge in attendance today — following two match sanction decided by Chelsea with Rosenior.

…and with a smile on his face. 😁 pic.twitter.com/CZ8KaNAvoz

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) April 4, 2026

What Led to the Sanction?

Rosenior confirmed on Friday that Fernández has been ruled out for two matches — Saturday’s FA Cup tie and next weekend’s Premier League clash against Manchester City — after comments the 25-year-old made during the international break.

The midfielder reportedly crossed a line with remarks about his future at the club, including hints of interest in living in Madrid amid links to Real Madrid. Rosenior described the situation as disappointing and stressed the need to protect Chelsea’s culture.

“A line was crossed in terms of our culture and what we want to build. So we had to make a sanction,” Rosenior said. He added that “the door is not closed on Enzo” and described the punishment as temporary.

Fernández’s agent, Javier Pastore, hit back, calling the two-game ban “completely unfair,” especially with important matches on the horizon as Chelsea fight for a top-six spot and Champions League qualification.