Rosenior: Fernandez Obstacles Still to Overcome Before City Showdown

Liam Rosenior has made clear that unresolved issues with Enzo Fernandez remain on the agenda at Chelsea, despite the Argentine midfielder's public apology for stepping out of line during the international break.

Fernandez is ruled out of Sunday's encounter with Manchester City, extending his absence that already saw him miss the 7-0 demolition of Port Vale. His punishment stems from comments in which he expressed a desire to relocate to Madrid and questioned the club's decision to part company with Enzo Maresca.

The Chelsea vice-captain has since apologised, and Rosenior indicated the pair have held multiple constructive conversations. Yet the manager stopped short of declaring the matter settled, hinting that deeper concerns persist beneath the surface.

"Had a really good chat with Enzo, three or four with him, he's apologised to me and the club," Rosenior explained. "We'll deal with that after a massive game on Sunday. It's a serious meeting about something serious. I'm not questioning his character or who he is as a person but I believe people make mistakes and you can't overstep the punishment for the mistake."

Insiders close to senior figures within the squad have suggested the temperature around the situation has dropped considerably, with suggestions that Fernandez is not creating friction in the dressing room. Nevertheless, Rosenior's comments suggest hurdles remain.

"There are certain values and cultures that I believe in that make the club stronger if you get them right," he continued. "There's a few obstacles we still need to get through but I won't go into that."

Rosenior's tenure has proven inconsistent since replacing Maresca. A promising start yielded four consecutive Premier League victories, but recent form has deteriorated sharply—just one win in the last half-dozen outings. Chelsea's campaign has been further dented by a Carabao Cup semi-final exit to Arsenal and a Champions League elimination at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain.

The Blues currently occupy fifth place, a single point adrift of Liverpool heading into their meeting with City. The pair drew 1-1 at the Etihad in January when Calum McFarlane held the interim role.

Rosenior has emphasised his respect for Pep Guardiola ahead of the fixture, dismissing any suggestion his ego might cloud his judgment. "I don't have a big enough ego not to respect people," he said. "Pep has influenced everyone in football. He's an unbelievable coach with an unbelievable career but I want my team to show what they're capable of on Sunday.

"He's won trophies, he's invigorated the team. He also had time to put a style together. We need to not switch off or make mistakes because City will punish you."