Chelsea’s results since returning after the international break have been a mixed bag, but there are some individuals that are playing some superb football right now as the season enters its business end.
Chelsea know that their campaign currently hangs in the balance. In the final month, they will attempt to win the Conference League and finish in the Premier League’s top five to qualify for next year’s Champions League.
The Blues have four wins, two draws and one defeat across all competitions since coming back after March’s international break.
The Chelsea squad obviously possesses a lot of talent, but not everyone is at their fluent best right now.
Thankfully, one Blues star has picked up the mantle to really lead the team recently.
Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez looks in immense form
The likes of Moises Caicedo and Pedro Neto have stood out in April for their individual contributions. However, Enzo Fernandez would be our pick for Chelsea’s best performer in the past month.
Fernandez, 24, has rolled his sleeves up, particularly in the second half of the season, to deliver some of his best performances to date in a Chelsea shirt.
The Argentine star is thriving as a box-to-box central midfielder, especially in the month of April since the most recent international break.
| Date | Fixture | Minutes played | Goals | Assists | Chances created | Match rating |
| 26 April | Chelsea 1-0 Everton | 90 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 8.0 |
| 20 April | Fulham 1-2 Chelsea | 90 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 7.9 |
| 17 April | Chelsea 1-2 Legia Warsaw | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 13 April | Chelsea 2-2 Ipswich Town | 90 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 7.4 |
| 10 April | Legia Warsaw 0-3 Chelsea | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 6 April | Brentford 0-0 Chelsea | 90 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 7.6 |
| 3 April | Chelsea 1-0 Tottenham | 89 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8.2 |
Speaking earlier this month, Tim Sherwood said Chelsea can build around Enzo Fernandez because of his ability on the pitch. At this moment, it feels like so much of the team’s positive play has his fingerprints all over it.
On top of improving as a forward threat, the midfield star does the ugly side of the game efficiently as well with real aggression and work rate in his defending.
Romeo Lavia loves playing with Enzo Fernandez, along with Moises Caicedo, in the Blues line-up.
The way that Fernandez is performing of late makes him a perfect teammate on the field. It’s no real surprise that he wears the captain’s armband when Reece James isn’t on the pitch because he’s exuding so much confidence and leadership right now.
It’s the sensible move to rest him in Europe to keep him fit and firing for the crucial league run in.
Enzo Maresca has unlocked something in Enzo Fernandez
Fernandez had a decent but not spectacular 2023/24 campaign under Mauricio Pochettino’s management at Chelsea last year.
Under current Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca, we think Fernandez has been somewhat transformed this campaign. Both the numbers and the eye test will tell you that the South American midfielder is growing into a more vital individual in the XI.
| Season | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| 2024/25 | 40 | 6 | 11 |
| 2023/24 | 40 | 7 | 4 |
Fernandez is definitely looking like a bigger attacking threat, something that Maresca deserves credit for by encouraging him to burst forward more and arrive in the penalty box.
At the start of April, Enzo Fernandez shared his work in training has included getting into the penalty box. In fairness, it’s working superbly well for him and Chelsea because he’s a massive threat when he advances into the final third with his technique, vision and timing.
The mood within the Blues fanbase definitely feels mixed towards Maresca going into an important end to the season, but it’s worth flagging the likes of Fernandez and Marc Cucurella have progressed during his tenure so far.
