"It doesn't sit right" - Reece James speaks out about allegations against teammate Enzo Fernandez
Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez landed himself in hot water in the aftermath of Argentina’s Copa America celebrations as he was among a group of players who racially chanted against French players of African origin.
A number of his club teammates called the 23-year-old out for his actions on social media, whilst a handful of them even unfollowed him. While Fernandez was quick to offer an apology, the impact of his actions on Chelsea’s dressing room could be seismic given the diverse number of nationalities and backgrounds involved in the squad.
The club’s captain, Reece James, has commented on the issue for the very first time. He was quoted saying the following by The Guardian:
“Of course. There’s always the factor where it doesn’t sit right with people when there could be a problem. But until the day comes where everyone’s together and in a room together, I don’t know, but I hope things can be resolved smoothly and we can move forward with the season.”
The right-back also revealed having a conversation with the Argentinian, although he refused to share the finer details of it. Talking about his interaction with Fernandez, James diplomatically tackled the question by saying:
“I spoke to him a bit, but it was hard because we were on different time zones. Just a general chat really. His views on what happened and him trying to explain his situation and how things happened.”
Chelsea are yet to offer a public comment regarding the situation they have found various first-team members in, but what is certain is that the problem could not have come at a worse time for them.
Enzo Maresca is busy trying to prepare the squad for the new Premier League season. There are several fresh faces in the team, as well as players from Mauricio Pochettino’s time who need the manager’s support. By possibly causing a divide in the dressing room, Enzo Fernandez’s actions have caused more damage than he would have imagined.
To make things worse, he will not be available for pre-season with his teammates until next week, until when the situation will have to be put on hold. Fernandez, nevertheless, will walk on thin ice in the initial days of his return to the Chelsea setup.
With the start of the 2024/25 campaign merely three weeks away, the club and the manager will look to put the situation to bed, as will the team’s captain Reece James, with all parties hoping to have a better campaign on the field than the previous one.
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