Chelsea v Brentford - Premier League - Source: Getty
Chelsea v Brentford - Premier League - Source: Getty
Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior has said that he is impressed with midfielder Enzo Fernandez. He claimed that the Argentine is better than he expected and that he loves having him in his squad.
Speaking to the media after the 2-0 win over Brentford, Rosenior revealed that he was at the 2022 FIFA World Cup final and was impressed with Fernandez's performance. He knew the Argentine, who was still a Benfica player at the time, was bound for the top and added that he had exceeded his expectations since they started working together at Chelsea.
He said (via Football London):
“I'm so impressed. I knew what an outstanding player he was. I told him I was actually at the World Cup final when he played. It's not until you see a player up close and you get to know him and what he's about. I have to say he's a winner. The way he trains, the reason he plays so well is he trains 100%."
"I've enjoyed working with him. It's his birthday today, so I told him he should go to a steakhouse and enjoy some Argentinian steak. But no, he's a magnificent player. More importantly, he's a fantastic character and I love having him in this team."
Enzo Fernandez has six goals and two assists in the league this season, with another goal in the FA Cup and one more in the UEFA Champions League.
Chelsea squad dealing with a flu issue, says Liam Rosenior
Chelsea were without Liam Delap and Jamie Gittens for their Carabao Cup clash, but the striker managed to make a return against Brentford. However, Estevao Willian was out for the Premier League game with the same issue, and Liam Rosenior confirmed that the squad has been dealing with a bug. He said:
"Yeah, he [Estevao] was ill. It's running through the squad. There were a few, I won't say who, but there were a couple of players playing today who were complaining about their chests. They put in a magnificent effort. I felt that's why we weren't good with the ball. I won't give you names, it's not right for me to do that, but I'm so happy with the attitude of the group to get through this game."
Chelsea face Pafos in the UEFA Champions League this week, before taking on Crystal Palace in the Premier League. They have Napoli and West Ham United to play in January.