Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso has laid bare a “hidden truth” about Chelsea’s struggling midfield dynamo Enzo Fernández that Enzo Maresca “completely failed to notice” during the Blues’ humiliating 1-3 home defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion on September 27, 2025. The Spanish tactician, fresh off a 4-0 El Clásico masterclass at the Bernabéu, didn’t pull punches in a post-match interview with Sky Sports, critiquing the £107 million Argentine’s labored display as woefully inadequate. “He tried his best – but honestly, his best wasn’t good enough for an experienced player like Enzo Maresca’s star,” Alonso said, his analytical gaze piercing through the Stamford Bridge smoke. The former Liverpool legend exposed Fernández’s diminishing stamina and positional lapses as the “silent killer” behind Chelsea’s second-half meltdown, a flaw Maresca overlooked amid his half-time fury at Estevao Willian. Alonso even delivered a “strong piece of advice” to the Italian: overhaul the midfield hierarchy or watch Fernández become a liability in high-stakes ties.
The match was a disaster for Maresca’s men, who started brightly with Fernández’s 24th-minute opener – a cool finish from Reece James’ free-kick – but unraveled after Robert Sánchez’s 42nd-minute red card for a last-man foul on Kaoru Mitoma. Down to 10, Chelsea conceded Yankuba Minteh’s equalizer in the 68th, before Maxim De Cuyper’s header (90th) and Danny Welbeck’s brace-clincher (90+3rd) sealed Brighton’s rout, their first league win at the Bridge since 1977. Fernández, the World Cup winner and Maresca’s “captain in the middle,” was supposed to anchor the chaos, but Alonso dissected his game like a tactical autopsy. “Enzo’s always there for the ball, but he’s dropping deep too often, leaving gaps,” the 43-year-old explained. “Against Brighton’s press, you need pivots who rotate, not stand-still generals. Maresca missed it – he was fixated on the wings. This isn’t 2022 Enzo; fatigue’s creeping in, and it’s hidden until it hurts.” Opta stats vindicate the verdict: Fernández covered just 9.1 km (his lowest this season), lost 12 duels, and misplaced 18 passes – double his average – allowing Mitoma to exploit the void for the equalizer.
Alonso’s insight stems from his own midfield mastery – five Champions Leagues as a player, now translating to Madrid’s unbeaten start under his 4-3-3 evolution. “I see it because I’ve lived it,” he added. “Fernández has vision, but without legs to cover transitions, he’s exposed. Maresca, take serious measures: pair him with youth like Andrey Santos full-time, or loan him for rhythm. Otherwise, he’s a total waste in these games – heart’s there, but the engine’s sputtering.” The advice lands like a thunderbolt for Maresca, who post-match ranted about “selfish” Estevao but praised Fernández as “one of our leaders” despite the Argentine’s halftime sub for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Sources say Maresca “glossed over the midfield drop” in his inquest, focusing on Sánchez’s red (his second in a week, inviting another FA fine atop the £25,000 from Old Trafford) and Brighton’s late surge.
Chelsea’s fanbase is in uproar. On X, #MarescaOut exploded to 40,000 posts, with threads dissecting Alonso’s takedown: “Xabi’s nailed it – Enzo’s gassing out, Maresca blind to it,” one viral post read, racking up 15,000 likes. Another fumed, “Fernández costing us again – time for Mainoo on loan?” Pundits amplified the echo: Gary Neville, on The Overlap, called Alonso’s words “a coach’s gut-punch – Maresca needs to listen or Fernández festers.” Jamie Carragher concurred: “Hidden truth? Spot on. Enzo’s a star when fresh, but this season’s grind is breaking him.” Brighton’s Fabian Hürzeler, gracious in victory, tipped his hat: “Fernández is class, but our press found the cracks – Xabi’s right.”
For Maresca, this is a crossroads. Chelsea, 7th with 10 points from eight games, face Southampton, Tottenham, and a Champions League last-16 vs. PSG – ties where Fernández’s lapses could prove fatal. The Italian’s possession ethos craves a metronome, but with Cole Palmer (groin, out 2-3 weeks), Wesley Fofana (knee), and Levi Colwill (season-ending knee) sidelined, over-reliance on the Argentine has backfired. Insiders whisper Maresca’s “failed to notice” the fatigue signs in training, prioritizing Estevao’s “stingy” flair over midfield tweaks. Alonso’s nudge? A lifeline or indictment: “Adapt now, Enzo – or the hidden becomes obvious.” Fernández, stoic as ever, posted a training clip on Instagram: “Stronger tomorrow 🇦🇷,” but the doubt lingers. In the Premier League’s unforgiving theater, Maresca’s star may shine no more if the engine stalls. Xabi’s exposed the truth – now, what measures will follow?
