Enzo Fernandez left out of Chelsea squad for Aussie tour after World Cup exhaustion

Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez is missing from the club's pre-season tour of Australia, absent from the 27-man travelling squad for Friday's friendly against Western Sydney Wanderers. The decision, made by new manager Xabi Alonso, comes after Fernandez played deep into the World Cup, representing Argentina all the way to the final on July 19, where his nation lost 1-0 to Spain. That exhausting run finished much later than most of his club teammates, requiring an extended period of rest to prevent physical burnout and mitigate injury risks. Alonso, taking charge of Chelsea officially for the first time in Sydney, strategically left the high-profile midfielder behind to recuperate properly before rejoining for the 2026/27 Premier League campaign. Fernandez is not alone: senior internationals Pedro Neto and Reece James were also omitted from the squad for the 10:45am kick-off. The club's approach follows standard practice across top European clubs, granting players a mandatory break of at least three to four weeks after a major summer tournament.