Enzo Fernandez 'could face a 12-match BAN' if FA decide to investigate Chelsea star's racist chant video - as club launches 'internal disciplinary procedure' into player's conduct

Enzo Fernandez could face a ban of up to 12 matches for taking part in a racist and transphobic chant while on duty for Argentina, according to a top sports lawyer. 

The Chelsea midfielder came under fire for sharing an Instagram Live which showed him and other Albiceleste team-mates singing that France's players are 'all from Angola' and mocking their multi-ethnic heritage in the wake of the team's Copa America victory. 

Fernandez's Blues' team-mate Wesley Fofana was the first to accuse him of 'uninhibited racism' in a social media post - which attracted a slew of racist tolls to attack the France international in response. 

Many of Fernandez's French team-mates, including Fofana, Benoit Badiashile, Malo Gusto, and Axel Disasi, opted to unfollow him on Instagram, shortly before the Argentine shared a public apology which stressed that 'those words do not express (his) beliefs and character'. 

Chelsea then issued their own statement condemning their player's actions and announcing that they would be launching an internal disciplinary procedure in the wake of the incident. 

Should the west London club decide to sanction their player, it is likely that they will only do so by fining the player for gross misconduct - with a typical amount just two weeks' salary. 

Udo Onwere, sports lawyer at Bray & Krais and a former Fulham midfielder told the i that the club were likely to 'go down the financial route' in a bid to ensure that one of their record signings remains a valuable prospect. 

Fernandez was bought from Benfica in January 2023 for a then-British record £107million and has been a regular fixture under Chelsea's revolving-door of managers including Graham Potter, Frank Lampard, and Mauricio Pochettino. 

Onwere added that Fernandez will legally have the opportunity to explain his actions, with his public apology already putting him in a more favourable position with regards to additional punishment. 

Mail Sport reported on Wednesday that the FA were not yet taking action over Fernandez's incident on international duty, but that the posibility had not been entirely ruled out. 

Should English football's governing body involve themselves in the situation, Fernandez's transgression could see him charged under the FA's discrimination regulations. 

Here, the FA's statutes state that: 'match-based sanctions of six to twelve games will be recommended to Regulatory Commissions for almost all acts of discrimination by individual participants.'

'I guess the FA may look and see how this has been handled by Chelsea before they decide what sort of stance that they will take,' Onwere continued, adding that if Fernandez had been an England player, the FA's involvement would have likely been swift. 

'If this had been a tweet, the FA definitely would have got involved and he would have been banned for six/seven games minimum.

'Then they look at all the aggravating factors, such as whether the language discrimination, language was repeatedly used, the public nature of the offence, or the profile of the participant, which is going to be a higher profile.'

At present, FIFA is handling a complaint filed by the French Football Federation over the video, but any punishment handed out by the international game's governing body will likely fall at the feet of the Argentinian FA, rather than Fernandez as an individual. 

On the heels of Argentina's victory over Colombia, Fernandez is not expected back at Cobham - where incoming coach Enzo Maresca has been welcoming the first returning players for their initial pre-season training - for some time. 

The player is not expected to take part in the club's US pre-season tour, along with a number of others who made deep international runs with their country, such as England's Cole Palmer.   

Fernandez is believed to have apologised privately to his team-mates via their internal communications platform.