September 14th 2024.
Enzo Fernandez, a key player for Chelsea, was unexpectedly missing from their matchday squad for their Premier League game against Bournemouth on Saturday night. This came as a surprise to both the fans and the team, as they were hoping to see him in action. The Blues were heading to the Vitality Stadium after a less-than-stellar start to their season under the guidance of their new manager, Enzo Maresca. There was a lot of buzz before the game as the deadline day signing, Jadon Sancho, was set to make his debut from the bench. However, several other important players were also missing from the lineup.
Due to injuries, Reece James, Romeo Lavia, and Malo Gusto were all unavailable for the game. This meant that Axel Disasi had to step in for Gusto at right-back, while Renato Veiga, who was making his first league start, replaced Fernandez in the starting eleven. In a surprising move, Moises Caiecedo was given the captain's armband instead of Fernandez. There was no indication beforehand that the 23-year-old midfielder would be absent, especially since he had come through the international break unscathed.
The team sheet for the game was shared on social media, revealing the absence of Fernandez and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who were both reportedly ill. This news was confirmed by Chelsea just before kick-off. In addition to the two midfielders, Carney Chukwuemeka and Ben Chilwell were also missing from the lineup. Chilwell had recently been reintegrated into the first-team after failing to secure a transfer away from Stamford Bridge. As for Bournemouth, they also had to make two changes, one of which was due to on-loan goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga being unable to play against his parent club. He was replaced by Mark Travers.
It remains to be seen if Fernandez or any of the other players who missed the game will be fit in time for their next match against West Ham next Saturday. This unexpected absence has raised questions about the midfielder's health and availability for future games. More updates are expected to follow in the coming days.
In other Chelsea news, there have been exclusives and analysis about the team's performance and recent changes. Fans can sign up to receive updates and stay informed about all the latest developments. The privacy policy of the website is also in place to protect personal information. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
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