CHARLOTTE (North Carolina) — Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca yesterday hailed the contribution of playmaker Enzo Fernandez as the Argentinian prepares to come up against his old team Benfica at the Club World Cup.

“I am very pleased with Enzo especially because first of all he is a nice and polite boy, and then with us since we started he has been working very well in every aspect on and off the pitch,” Maresca told reporters in Charlotte.

That is where the sides will face off on Saturday in the last 16 of FIFA’s expanded competition.

Fernandez was a vital cog in the Chelsea side that finished fourth in the Premier League to qualify for next season’s Champions League, and also featured in their run to the UEFA Conference League title.

At the Club World Cup he came off the bench at half-time to score the second goal in the 2-0 win over Los Angeles FC in their opening game.

The 24-year-old has started both matches since, and laid on two goals in the 3-0 victory against Esperance of Tunisia in Philadelphia which clinched Chelsea’s place in the last 16.

Fernandez was signed from Benfica in February 2023 for a British transfer record fee at the time of £107 million (RM621.6 million).