Enzo Fernández withdraws from Argentina squad amid knee inflammation

Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernández withdrew from Argentina's squad during the latest international break after being diagnosed with inflammation in his right knee and returned to the club for assessment, the national team said. Fernández, 24, played 78 minutes in Argentina's 1-0 friendly win over Venezuela on October 10 but did not travel on to the scheduled match against Puerto Rico and has been omitted from Chelsea's squad for the Premier League trip to Nottingham Forest.

Argentina's official X account announced Fernández had left the squad with knee inflammation, and Chelsea confirmed the player returned to west London for scans to determine the severity and recovery timetable. Club staff were conducting medical examinations on the midfielder on Friday ahead of Sunday’s fixture at the City Ground.

Fernández has been a mainstay in Chelsea's starting lineup this season, starting every Premier League match to date and scoring three goals. The midfielder was signed from Benfica in January 2023 for a fee reported to be around 106.8 million and has become a central figure in the club's midfield since his arrival.

Manager Enzo Maresca addressed the squad's fitness in a prematch press...