Xabi Alonso Explains Enzo Fernandez's Omission from Chelsea's Squad

Xabi Alonso insists Chelsea’s decision to leave Enzo Fernandez out of the squad at Luton was a calculated call made between himself and the club – and not a player power move.

The Argentine, who came off the bench in Monday’s Premier League opener against Fulham, did not even travel as a substitute as Chelsea eased past Jack Wilshere’s League One side 2-0. A debut strike from Danny Welbeck and a late own goal forced by Estevao settled it, but all the noise centred on the missing midfielder.

With Manchester City preparing a bid to take Fernandez to the Etihad and reunite him with former Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca before the window shuts, his absence felt like more than simple rotation. At 25, and with the deadline looming at 11pm BST on Tuesday, every selection call is being scrutinised.

This one even more than most.

Alonso, though, stood firm on the reasoning.

“We assess individually, collectively, what's the best for the team, for tonight, what was better for other players that were playing and we take the decision,” he said when pressed on why Fernandez had been omitted entirely.

Reports in Argentina suggested Fernandez had asked not to feature against Luton. Alonso knocked that down immediately.

“No, it was a decision from myself and from the club,” he replied.

The next question came quickly: was the omission linked to club-to-club talks between City and Chelsea?

“No, it's just because of the game today and we had other players that needed minutes and it was that way,” Alonso insisted.

He revealed the call was made on Wednesday afternoon, after his pre-match press conference in which he had said he expected Fernandez to be involved at Kenilworth Road. The timeline only sharpened the sense that something might be moving behind the scenes.

“It's a decision that I took,” Alonso said, declining to confirm whether he had spoken directly to the player about it.

“He’s a good professional. He’s training well and I have nothing to say about him. It was just a decision that we had to take, thinking about the game that we're playing tonight and we'll see for Sunday [against Brighton].”

For now, Chelsea have three points, City are circling, and Fernandez is in limbo. Sunday may tell everyone a lot more.