Many will say that after what he has done, there is no way to mend it. But only time will tell. Enzo Fernandez is now back with the Chelsea squad in the United States, two weeks after the 127-million-euros midfielder sparked a racism storm with the video uploaded to his Instagram during Argentina’s Copa America celebrations.Fernandez arrived in Atlanta on Monday and immediately apologised to his team-mates in person. He had been in constant contact with players since publicly and privately saying sorry for filming himself and fellow members of the Argentinian national team singing an offensive song about their French counterparts.Fernandez voluntarily offered to make a contribution to an anti-discrimination charity in recognition of his misjudgement, which impressed his Blues bosses.The club have also privately pledged to match that donation via their charitable arm, the Chelsea Foundation.BREAKING: Enzo Fernandez has apologised to his Chelsea team-mates after joining the squad in the US. The apology has been accepted by the club and his teammates🚨pic.twitter.com/1VQzQg8lNA— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) July 30, 2024 This represented an early challenge for new head coach Enzo Maresca, while captain Reece James and defender Axel Disasi have been two of the lead figures in the consultation process with Chelsea’s players.Disasi is one of six Frenchmen on the club’s tour that also includes Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile, Malo Gusto, Lesley Ugochukwu and Christopher Nkunku. Fernandez has now trained with the squad and had lunch with his team-mates.Two weeks ago, Mail Sport reported that Chelsea were internally investigating the incident, with Fernandez facing a highly awkward return when coming face-to-face with his team-mates.Fofana was one of those who used social media to reveal his disgust at the Argentinian chants, which he called ‘uninhibited racism’.##NAJAVA_MECA_8244218##The song dates back to the 2022 World Cup final in which Argentina beat France, with lyrics describing how French players are ‘from Angola’ or have a ‘Nigerian’ mother and a ‘Cameroonian’ father.It sparked outrage, not only from Fernandez’s fellow players but the French Football Federation.’Faced with the seriousness of these shocking remarks, contrary to the values of sport and human rights, the president of the FFF decided to directly challenge his Argentine counterpart and FIFA and to file a legal complaint for insulting remarks of a racial and discriminatory nature.’, FFF posted in an official statement.There is just too much on the table to be neglected. The people in and around Chelsea are split in their interpretation of Fernandez’s action – it is now up to Todd Boehly, namesakes Maresca and Fernandez and the players impacted by the racist chants to work this out.
