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Chelsea have the chance to secure their spot in the FA Cup semifinals on Saturday and snap their four-match losing run as they host Port Vale at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues are widely expected to cruise past their League One opponents, particularly given that Port Vale are rooted to the foot of the table in English football's third division.
With pressure mounting on Liam Rosenior, Chelsea need a convincing win over the lower-league side to push toward a trophy and offer some welcome relief after a poor spell heading into the international break.
However, Chelsea will be without one of their key players for Saturday's match, with Enzo Fernández set to play no part in the FA Cup quarterfinal tie.
Why Is Enzo Fernández Not Playing vs. Port Vale?
Fernández has been generating headlines for all the wrong reasons in recent weeks.
Following Chelsea's heavy aggregate loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, the Argentine cast doubt on his future at the club. "We'll see" was his unconvincing reply when asked whether he would still be at Stamford Bridge next season.
Fernández, who has been consistently linked with a transfer to Real Madrid, then spent the international break openly courting the Spanish club, further frustrating Chelsea.
"I'd love to live in Spain, I really like Madrid; it reminds me of Buenos Aires," the midfielder said. "Players live wherever they choose. I'd live in Madrid. I get by in English, but I'd feel more at home speaking Spanish."
Unsurprisingly, those remarks did not go down well in west London, and Rosenior confirmed on Friday that a decision had been made to suspend Fernández for the club's next two fixtures.
This means the 25-year-old will not only miss the quarterfinal against Port Vale, but will also be absent for the upcoming Premier League encounter with Manchester City—a game that is vital to Chelsea's Champions League qualification hopes.
"I spoke with Enzo an hour ago," Rosenior said at his pre-match press conference on Friday. "As a football club, with me involved in the decision, he won't be available for tomorrow's game or the Manchester City match next Sunday."
Rosenior continued: "I think a line was crossed in terms of our culture and what we're trying to build. We had to impose a sanction, and that was a collective decision."
Fernández was not the only player to find himself in hot water for overly candid comments during the international period. Marc Cucurella took aim at the club's transfer strategy and questioned the decision to dismiss former head coach Enzo Maresca, yet he has escaped any disciplinary action from the club.