Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca sees ‘no bad intention’ in Fernández's chant

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has said Enzo Fernández had “no bad intentions” behind his displeasing chanting about French players and asserted team spirit has not been affected at Stamford Bridge. 

The Argentine midfielder celebrated his team’s Copa America success by putting up a video of the squad singing a racist, homophobic song about the inheritance of some French players. 

The 23-year-old is on holiday and has since posted a public apology while the Blues have initiated an internal disciplinary procedure and issued a statement addressing the situation. The Chelsea official handle on X wrote “acknowledge and appreciate our player's public apology and will use this as an opportunity to educate."

Chelsea are in the US preparing for the inaugural match of their five-game tour against Wrexham in Santa Clara on Wednesday and ahead of that match, Maresca spoke on the Fernandez incident

“I don't think there are any bad intentions behind [it] so starting from that point, for me it is quite easy. The player already made a statement apologising.

"The club did the same so there are not many things to add but the only thing I can say from my point of view that I can add is that they are all young with good intentions. Good guy, good person, good human being. There was not any bad intention."

Fernandez’s Chelsea team-mate Wesley Fofana shared the video stating "Football in 2024: uninhibited racism."

The France International is already part of the Chelsae squad in the US while Fernandez is due to join on Monday. 

Many of Fernandez’s teammates have unfollowed the youngster on Instagram. 

When asked if the team spirit could be damaged by the fallout from the midfielder’s outburst, Maresca said: “I don't think so to be honest. Probably it is the immediate reaction.

"But all in all, I don't think so. I spoke with Enzo but as I said, I spoke with all of them. The situation is quite clear. He did already make a statement apologising, the club did the same so."