Cole believes Chelsea still hold significant leverage due to Fernandez’s long-term contract, which runs until 2032, and should not hesitate to protect the club’s culture if necessary.
"We don’t know how long this has been going on for, but if it’s got to the point where Chelsea have had to ban him for a crucial match (against Manchester City), I don’t see how this benefits the player or the club," he added.
"If you’re the club, you say to Enzo ‘You’re contracted with us for five more years. You carry on with this rubbish and we’re happy to throw away whatever we’re paying a week and your career’ [by not playing him]. I must admit, I don’t know if this is the right model. I haven’t thought of a better way [of dealing with Fernandez], so it’s a mess, it really is."