John Terry responds to Enzo Fernandez’s Chelsea message after ‘saving Antony’
Enzo Fernandez captured the attention of past and present Chelsea players after lifting the Europa Conference League title.
Real Betis took an early lead at the Tarcynski Arena on Wednesday, 28 May, as Abde Ezzalzouli benefited from Malo Gusto’s mistake to fire past Filip Jorgensen after just nine minutes.
The game was turned on its head in the second half, however, as Enzo Maresca’s half-time changes saw Fernandez, Nicolas Jackson, Jadon Sancho, and Moises Caicedo all score in a thrilling 4-1 win.
Matters could have gone from bad to worse for the La Liga side, as Keith Hackett believed Fernandez saved Man United loanee Antony from being sent off in the closing stages in Poland.
Ultimately, the Blues ran out 4-1 winners to lift silverware after also securing Champions League on the final day of the Premier League season, with a 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.
Enzo Fernandez lifts Europe Conference League trophy at Chelsea
Taking to Instagram (28 May), Fernandez shared an image of himself with the Europa Conference League trophy, simply captioned with a smiley face, capturing the attention of multiple of his teammates.
John Terry replied: “Congratulations, Enzo Fernandez,” with heart and trophy emojis, while Jackson, Reece James, Aston Villa’s Emi Martinez, and Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister all liked the post.
Enzo Maresca proves credentials as Chelsea boss in 2024/25
Football Insider verdict
Maresca’s future as Chelsea boss seemed uncertain for much of the 2024/25 campaign, but with the Europa Conference League title and Champions League qualification in the bag, it is no longer in doubt.
Football Insider understood in April that Maresca had the backing of the Chelsea boardroom despite growing fury from the fanbase over the Italian’s tactics and style of play.
That has clearly turned out to be an incredible decision from Todd Boehly and co. as the Blues are set to battle in the top European competition for the first time since 2022/23.
Qualifying for the Champions League likely means Cole Palmer staying at Chelsea this summer, with the former Man City talent tipped to leave had the club been stuck in the Europa League.
Despite winning 61 per cent of his games in charge since leaving Leicester City, supporters remain wary of the Italian’s abilities at Stamford Bridge, so he must change those mindsets next season.