{"id":5872,"date":"2026-04-07T04:37:32","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T04:37:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=5872"},"modified":"2026-04-07T04:37:32","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T04:37:32","slug":"gary-lineker-defends-chelsea-star-after-odd-liam-rosenior-decision-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=5872","title":{"rendered":"Gary Lineker defends Chelsea star after ‘odd’ Liam Rosenior decision | Football"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Ex-England striker Gary Lineker (Picture: YouTube)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Gary Lineker has defended Enzo Fernandez after he fuelled speculation he wanted to leave Chelsea and suggested he was keen on joining Real Madrid.<\/p>\n

Fernandez, who has regularly captained the Blues, first cast doubt over his future at Stamford Bridge following Chelsea\u2019s Champions League defeat to PSG.<\/p>\n

Asked if he could guarantee that he will be a Chelsea player next season, Fernandez told ESPN: \u2018I don\u2019t know, I don\u2019t know.<\/p>\n

\u2018There are eight games left and the FA Cup. There\u2019s the World Cup and then we\u2019ll see.\u2019<\/p>\n

Fernandez made a similar comment when directly asked about speculation linking him with Real Madrid later in the month.<\/p>\n

In another not-so-subtle transfer hint, the Argentine World Cup winner recently said he would \u2018like\u2019 to live in Madrid one day.<\/p>\n

Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior said Fernandez had \u2018crossed a line\u2019 with his comments and opted to drop the midfielder for two games.<\/p>\n

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Enzo Fernandez has hinted he wants to leave Chelsea (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Fernandez therefore watched on from the stands as Chelsea thrashed Port Vale 7-0 in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup on Saturday and will also sit out of Sunday\u2019s Premier League clash against Manchester City.<\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s disappointing for Enzo to speak that way,\u2019 said Rosenior, who took over from Enzo Maresca at Chelsea in January.<\/p>\n

\u2018I have got no bad words to say about him but a line was crossed in terms of our culture and what we want to build.<\/p>\n

\u2018As a character, a person and a player, I have the utmost respect. He\u2019s frustrated because he wants us to be successful.<\/p>\n

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Liam Rosenior said Fernandez \u2018crossed a line\u2019 (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018In terms of the decision, it\u2019s not all about me, or the sporting directors. The ownership, the players, we are aligned in our decision.<\/p>\n

\u2018The door is not closed on Enzo. It\u2019s a sanction. You have to protect the culture, and in terms of that, a line was crossed.\u2019<\/p>\n

Rosenior attempted to play down the noise around Fernandez after the FA Cup win over Port Vale, insisting he is in a \u2018very good place\u2019 with the former Benfica midfielder.<\/p>\n

But Lineker believes it was a mistake for Rosenior to drop Fernandez in the first place, describing that decision as a \u2018little bit odd\u2019.<\/p>\n

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The England legend also defended Fernandez, claiming he understood his comments about Real Madrid and insisting he \u2018didn\u2019t say anything\u00a0particularly\u00a0bad or detrimental to Chelsea\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u2018I thought that was slightly odd [Rosenior dropping Fernandez],\u2019 Lineker said on The Rest is Football podcast. \u2018I\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0think he said anything\u00a0particularly\u00a0bad or detrimental to Chelsea.<\/p>\n

\u2018He\u00a0basically\u00a0just\u00a0said he would like to live in Madrid.\u00a0[Marc] Cucurella\u00a0said something similar [about Barcelona] and\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0get punished at all.<\/p>\n

\u2018Who\u00a0wouldn\u2019t\u00a0play for Real Madrid?! I\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0understand the ban. Fine\u00a0him if you want to punish him and keep it in-house but I\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0see how a ban helps you.<\/p>\n

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Premier League legend Alan Shearer (Picture: YouTube)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018It obviously\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0make any difference against Port\u00a0Vale\u00a0but I just thought it was a little bit odd.\u2019<\/p>\n

Premier League record goalscorer Alan Shearer also questioned Rosenior\u2019s reaction and said he has created a \u2018problem\u2019 for himself going forward.<\/p>\n

\u2018I guess\u00a0he\u2019s\u00a0trying to make a statement to the dressing room but there are\u00a0different ways\u00a0of going about it,\u2019 Shearer said.<\/p>\n

\u2018The only problem with disciplining them like this is when another player steps out of line, you\u00a0have to\u00a0do something similar when it comes up next,\u00a0that\u2019s\u00a0the only problem.\u2019<\/p>\n

Micah Richards, meanwhile, defended the way Rosenior handled the situation and said he was important for him to act.<\/p>\n

\u2018I think he\u00a0had to do it,\u2019 Richards said. \u2018With all the pressure Liam Rosenior has been under recently, the players coming out and speaking like that makes you look weak if you don\u2019t respond.<\/p>\n

\u2018I would have left him out of the next game which was Port Vale \u2013 but I\u00a0wouldn\u2019t\u00a0have done two games.\u00a0That way it looks like\u00a0he\u2019s\u00a0punished him but\u00a0he\u2019s\u00a0still back for that Man City game.<\/p>\n

\u2018You\u2019re\u00a0going to need him against them because\u00a0he\u2019s\u00a0one of your best players. But I do think Rosenior had to say something.\u2019<\/p>\n

Chelsea were drawn to face rivals Leeds United in the semi-finals of the FA Cup. Manchester City take on Southampton in the other tie at Wembley. <\/p>\n

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