Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez aims sly dig at Liam Rosenior, hits out at Blues board over Enzo Maresca sacking

Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez has taken aim at BlueCo over Enzo Maresca's dismissal from Stamford Bridge, which he still 'does not understand'.

Mere months after leading Chelsea to a Conference League and Club World Cup double, Maresca's relationship with the Blues hierarchy broke down to the point of no repair.

The former Leicester City boss memorably made reference to the "worst 48 hours of his career" after a win over Everton, before missing a post-match press conference following a draw with Bournemouth.

It was reported at the time that Maresca was suffering from an illness, but it was then revealed that he was instead considering his future, and his departure from Stamford Bridge was announced on New Year's Day.

Ex-Strasbourg boss Liam Rosenior initially made a positive impact upon his arrival, but after Saturday's dismal 3-0 defeat to Everton, he has overseen a crushing four-game winless run.

Enzo Fernandez: 'Chelsea had an identity under Enzo Maresca'

The third defeat in that sequence was Chelsea's 3-0 reverse to Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie, after which Fernandez cast doubt on his future at the club amid transfer links with PSG.

Fresh quotes have now emerged from the Argentina international's interview with Mexican outlet TUDN, in which he expressed bemusement at Maresca's sudden departure and how the shake-up impacted the dressing room.

"I don’t understand it either. Sometimes there are things that we as players don’t understand, how and in what way they try to manage things," Fernandez said.

The South American also made reference to Chelsea having a proper "identity" under Maresca, in an apparent criticism of Rosenior's style of management.

"Obviously, it was a departure that hurt us a lot because we had an identity," he added. "He gave us an order, even though, as is the way of football, sometimes it’s good and bad.

‘But he always had a very clear identity when it came to training and playing, and obviously his departure hurt us a lot, especially in the middle of the season, it cuts everything short."

Liam Rosenior's Chelsea at risk of becoming a laughing stock

When Todd Boehly and co opted to swap the outspoken Maresca for Rosenior, many felt that the Chelsea board were deliberately opting for a younger, more malleable boss who would not question his superiors in the same manner as his predecessor.

That part may be true, but the Club World Cup winners are quickly at risk of becoming a laughing stock under the 41-year-old, who has done himself no favours in front of the media either.

Rosenior's claim that Chelsea were "respecting the ball" by doing their pre-match huddle around Paul Tierney on the centre spot was nothing short of comical, and he made another bizarre statement after Saturday's defeat to Everton.

When players of Fernandez's calibre publicly come out and yearn for the Maresca days to return, it undermines Rosenior's authority further, and it would not be a shock if Chelsea are in the managerial market again this summer.