Chelsea will face Port Vale in theFA Cup quarterfinal on Saturdaywithout key midfielder Enzo Fernández.
Fernández is not injured, but instead been dropped for disciplinary reasons. Chelsea coach Liam Rosenior said the Argentine would miss Saturday's game as well as next weekend's Premier League match against Manchester City due to comments about a potential transfer to Real Madrid.
"I spoke with Enzo an hour ago. We've made a decision - he won't be available for tomorrow's game and he won't be available for Manchester City," Rosenior said at his press conference on Friday.
"It's disappointing to speak in that way. What I will say about Enzo is that, in terms of him as a person, I've got no bad words to say.
"But a line was crossed in terms of our culture. We had to make a sanction."
Fernández has raised eyebrows with his comments recently, first telling ESPN Argentina"I don't know" when asked if he would still be at Chelsea next season.
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Spain– 17th appearance
Then the 25-year-old told Argentine media personality Marcos Giles: "I really like Madrid - it's similar to Buenos Aires."
Asked if he would consider living in Madrid, Fernández responded: "Yes, of course."
Rosenior emphasized that there was still a way back for Fernández at Chelsea, but the coach felt he was forced into disciplinary measures.
"The door is not closed on Enzo - that's very important. It's a sanction," Rosenior said. "You have to protect this club and culture, and in terms of that, the line was crossed in the international break."
Chelsea has dropped down to sixth in the Premier League table and was bounced from the Champions League with a heavy 8-2 aggregate defeat against Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16.
Even without Fernández, the Blues will be heavily favored to reach the FA Cup semifinal with a win over Port Vale, which comes into Saturday's game sitting dead last in League One.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Why is Enzo Fernandez out for Chelsea FA Cup game vs. Port Vale?