Why was Enzo Fernandez benched but not Marc Cucurella? Only one star dropped by Liam Rosenior for critical comments

This has been a trying season for Chelsea throughout the 2025/26 campaign. Sitting sixth in the Premier League table, six points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa with just seven games to go, the Blues are also out of the Champions League in the Round of 16 and fighting for their lives just to qualify for the competition next season. The Blues also sacked manager Enzo Maresca in early January, bringing Liam Rosenior over from BlueCo sister club Strasbourg to fill his shoes, a move which has been openly questioned by both current and former Chelsea players.

Several of those on the Chelsea roster have vented their frustrations about the struggles they faced this season, but one has "crossed a line" according to the new manager. The Sporting News explains why Enzo Fernandez has been axed from the squad for upcoming games and where they stand now. MORE: A closer look at the Chelsea injury list for their upcoming matches Why was Enzo Fernandez dropped by Chelsea?

Enzo Fernandez has been benched by Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior, who said that the Argentine would not be in the Chelsea squad for the club's first two matches back from the March international break. This means that Fernandez will miss games against Port Vale in the FA Cup and Manchester City in the Premier League. The 25-year-old midfielder made comments over the international break to Argentine media about his future next season and beyond, saying he wasn't sure he would be at Chelsea next season and speculating about links to Real Madrid .

What did Enzo Fernandez say about Real Madrid move? While speaking to Argentine media over the March international break, Enzo Fernandez appeared open to a move to Real Madrid this summer. Fernandez has a contract with Chelsea that runs through 2032, leaving him firmly under club control for the foreseeable future, yet he spoke openly about his immediate future potentially being at another club.