Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez begins pre-season amid teammates' outrage over racism controversy

Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez begins pre-season amid teammates' outrage over racism controversy

Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez is set to join his teammates on the club's pre-season tour in the United States after being involved in an alleged racist and homophobic chant during international duty.

Despite the controversy, Fernandez, 23, will be part of the Chelsea squad traveling to the US. This decision comes after he was seen in a video, celebrating Argentina's Copa America victory, where he and several teammates allegedly participated in a chant targeting France with racist and homophobic slurs.

The incident has sparked significant backlash within the Chelsea squad. According to a new report from The Mail, Fernandez will face his teammates in the coming days as he travels to the US on Monday. The report indicates that he is currently under investigation by the club and will need to address the situation with his teammates, some of whom have publicly condemned his actions.

Fernandez is expected to participate in Chelsea's remaining matches on the tour, where they will play against Club America, Manchester City, and Real Madrid before returning to the UK for the new Premier League season.

In response to the widespread criticism, Fernandez has apologized for his actions, stating that the video does not “reflect my beliefs or my character.“

Chelsea captain Reece James has acknowledged the potential impact of the incident on the team's unity. Speaking to ESPN, James said, "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."