Response issued: Liam Rosenior
Chelsea Football Newsletter
Liam Rosenior has responded to Enzo Fernandez after the Argentine suggested he would be open to leaving Chelsea this summer.
Chelsea were dumped out of the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday night, losing 8-2 on aggregate after goals from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Bradley Barcola and Senny Mayulu settled the second-leg.
Fernandez started in midfield against the European champions, wearing the captain’s armband after Reece James was ruled out with a hamstring injury.
The World Cup winner refused to make any promises when asked by ESPN Argentina whether he could guarantee he would be a Chelsea player next season.
“I don’t know,” he replied. “There are eight games left and then the FA Cup. Then there's the World Cup, and then we’ll see.”
Asked to respond, Rosenior said he needed to let the dust settle from the PSG match before he could address the situation.
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“Firstly, I haven't seen that,” said Rosenior of Fernandez’s comments. “It's hard for me to speak on speculation after a game and I need to focus right now on the most important things, which is making sure we get a result against Everton on Saturday.”
Chelsea v Paris Saint-Germain - UEFA Champions League - Round of Sixteen - Second Leg - Stamford Bridge
Chelsea’s season objective has shifted after their elimination from the Champions League, with qualification for next year’s edition of the tournament the new north star.
The Blues seemed to lack motivation after Kvaratskhelia’s early goal put an already unlikely comeback further out of reach, and Fernandez struggled to motivate his team-mates.
They were not helped by the steady flow of fans to the exits, which started as early as half-time.
Asked whether he was worried about the Stamford Bridge atmosphere, Rosenior added: “No, I think it's two-way. This is a fantastic football club where the fans want success instantly and that's rightfully so for the size of the club.
“I understand because of the aggregate scoreline in the tie, why fans are frustrated. They want us to win. So, I completely get it and I understood that before I came in.
“I also want to make them happy and give them the nights they deserve. Not just me, but us as a group, as a team. That was a really, really difficult one to take because of the manner in which we went out this evening.”