Chelsea star Nicolas Jackson has risked upsetting some of his team-mates by appearing to back under-fire Enzo Fernandez on social media. The striker uploaded two posts onto Instagram Stories where he made a clear point of emphasising his support for the £107million midfielder less than 24 hours after he became embroiled in a racism storm.
But Senegal international Jackson has taken the surprising step of defending Fernandez, a move that could further antagonise the club’s French contingent.
The striker posted two Instagram Story segments on his profile, one showing the centre midfielder smiling while he meets a young fan on the pitch. Jackson also inserted two fist emojis facing each other – one with white skin and another with a dark skin tone – suggesting that he was standing by Fernandez.
He then posted an image of himself sitting alongside Fernandez and Marc Cucurella in training, which once again appeared to show their unity.
It comes after the Argentina international issued an apology on Instagram on Tuesday for his role in the video, insisting his actions “did not reflect my beliefs”. The incident occurred after his Argentina squad defeated Colombia 1-0 in the Copa America final on Sunday.
“I want to apologise sincerely for a video posted on my Instagram channel during the national team celebrations,” Fernandez wrote. “The song includes highly offensive language and there is absolutely no excuse for these words.
“I stand against discrimination in all forms and apologise for getting caught up in the euphoria of our Copa America celebrations. That video, that moment, those words, do not reflect my beliefs or my character. I am truly sorry.”
Reacting to the controversy, Chelsea “acknowledge and appreciate” Fernandez’s apology but the club have vowed to launch a full investigation, with Fernandez likely to face punishment from the Blues.
The statement read: “Chelsea Football Club finds all forms of discriminatory behaviour completely unacceptable. We are proud to be a diverse, inclusive club where people from all cultures, communities and identities feel welcome.
“We acknowledge and appreciate our player’s public apology and will use this as an opportunity to educate. The Club has instigated an internal disciplinary procedure.”
While a FIFA spokesperson similarly said: “FIFA is aware of a video circulating on social media and the incident is being looked into. FIFA strongly condemns any form of discrimination by anyone including players, fans and officials.”
