Video fallout brought me closer to team-mates – Fernandez

Enzo Fernandez, a Chelsea midfielder, claims that his relationship with his teammates was improved as a result of his handling the controversy surrounding the release of a “racist and discriminatory” video.

After winning the Copa America last year, Fernandez, 24, recorded himself and his Argentina teammates singing offensive songs.

Wesley Fofana, a colleague at Chelsea, called the video “uninhibited racism.”

Later, Fernandez thanked Fofana and offered an apology.

Fernandez, who was signed from Benfica for a record-breaking £106,8 million contract in January 2023, apologized to his team-mates both privately and publicly.

Being accused of singing a racist song [is not typical of who I am,” Fernandez said in a statement to GiveMeSport before the episode.

Fernandez, who replaced Enzo Maresca as Chelsea’s vice-captain in the summer, explained how he cut short his post-tournament vacation to apologize in person during their pre-season tour of the United States, and also wrote in a written statement saying he was “truly sorry.”

When questioned about how the episode improved his relationship with his teammates, he responded, “Yes, absolutely. He continued, “My team-mates understood me, but it was a difficult time.”

I didn’t want to hurt anyone at the time because it was so euphoric. It’s just a song that we sing in Argentina as part of “football folklore,” as we affectionately call it.

I made an effort to apologize to the squad and let them know that I don’t make people feel bad about me. They understood my message, and that’s when it all came to an end.

The video, which the French Football Federation (FFF) claimed was “racist and discriminatory,” was a complaint to Fifa that targeted players’ ethnicity.

The Premier League, the Football Association, or Uefa did not impose punishment for it because it was on international duty with Argentina and fell under the control of South American governing body Conmebol.