Enzo Fernandez is NOT racist, insists Chelsea team-mate Wesley Fofana, as Frenchman claims the Argentinian defender ‘wanted educating’ after he sparked a racism storm with controversial chant

Wesley Fofana insists Enzo Fernandez shouldn’t be racist, saying his Chelsea team-mate merely wanted educating on why the Argentinian chant aimed on the French was so hurtful.

Fofana was not compelled into talking however as a substitute requested his membership if he might speak to the journalists masking their tour of america. 

It was following a coaching session in Atlanta that he informed us why he had forgiven Fernandez, two weeks after describing the footage of Argentina’s Copa America celebrations aboard their crew bus as ‘uninhibited racism’ on social media.

Fernandez rejoined the Chelsea squad on Monday, with the £106.8million midfielder issuing a direct apology in a crew assembly and pledging to make a sizeable contribution to an anti-discrimination charity. 

Fofana says training is extra essential than cash, nevertheless, as he by no means desires to see a repeat of this ugly incident that rocked Chelsea.

Fernandez is on pre-season coaching with Chelsea following the earlier racism storm brought on by his posting of Argentina gamers singing a discriminatory chant

‘You see Enzo is again and I’m blissful,’ mentioned Fofana, one in all six Frenchmen in Chelsea’s touring squad. ‘We talked collectively. I defined why I didn’t just like the video. He defined. He mentioned sorry as a result of he didn’t wish to damage French followers or anybody. He didn’t perceive when singing it.

‘And I belief him. As a result of I do know him. I do know Enzo. He isn’t racist. It’s simply the video is dangerous. It’s not solely Enzo. It’s the Argentinian crew. Enzo is within the video but when he was from one other nation, I’d have posted the identical factor. For positive, it was a giant story as a result of we play in the identical crew.

‘However now it’s completed, it’s good. I am proud of this case as a result of he understands me, I perceive him, he mentioned sorry, I belief him, and that’s the most essential factor. Enzo is a giant participant in Argentina. I hope this has educated him a bit, as a result of for positive, it’s a completely different tradition.’

Fofana has since deleted his social media put up as he defined: ‘We play for a similar membership and badge and practice collectively. Now I perceive him. He understands me. All people is blissful.’

Requested if his opinion is shared by all of Chelsea’s touring squad, Fofana mentioned: ‘We talked, all of the crew collectively. It was not solely me and Enzo. It was all people. We’re in the identical crew and we have to go ahead collectively. It’s completed. We play collectively. We have to keep collectively. We’re sturdy collectively.

Enzo Fernandez beforehand filmed a video of the Argentina crew singing a racist chant about France 

Fofana has now deleted his tweet the place he initially reposted the video by way of X alongside the phrases: ‘Soccer in 2024: uninhibited racism’

Fofana (center) and Fernandez (proper) have since made amends after the Argentine apologised for his actions

‘If I’m on one aspect and Enzo is on the opposite aspect and we battle daily or we do not speak or we’re not blissful, on the pitch then we don’t play effectively. That is not solely me and Enzo. It is all of the crew. It’s for that, that we talked. It’s an excellent membership.’

Fofana added he took no satisfaction in studying that Fernandez was shedding cash, with Chelsea additionally pledging to match his charitable donation. As an alternative, he feels it’s extra essential that the broader world learns a lesson about respecting completely different cultures.

‘I do not care concerning the cash,’ Fofana added. ‘He loses cash. I do not need Enzo to lose cash. The donation is nice however an important factor is to not repeat the act and that we educate all people. He’s an instance as a result of Enzo is a giant participant, a giant star. He understands that and I’m blissful like this.

‘I do not assume a giant sanction for Enzo is an efficient course of. We have to educate about this as a result of cultures are completely different, loads of international locations. We do not have the identical training, for good or dangerous. However we have to educate all people if we don’t desire a repeat.’