It comes after Fernandez shared a video of Argentina players singing a racist and discriminatory chant directed at French players, following the national team’s Copa America success on Sunday.
Both Chelsea and FIFA have launched an investigation into the chant which was first sung by Argentina fans at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar but later adopted by members of the playing squad.
The song, which references French players with African heritage, has been condemned by a number of his Chelsea teammates including Wesley Fofana who posted the video alongside the caption: ‘uninhibited racism’.
Fofana, Axel Disasi, Benoit Badiashille and Malo Gusto have all since unfollowed Fernandez on social media as has Lesley Ugochukwu, Christopher Nkunku and Malang Sarr.
David Datro Fofana, meanwhile, shared a message declaring ‘these acts have no place in football’.
In an Instagram post on Wednesday afternoon, the Chelsea and Ivory Coast forward said: “The football that I like is multi-ethnic.
“Racism in all its forms should be condemned in the strongest possible terms.
“These acts have no place in football or even anywhere else. This fight really needs to be taken seriously by everyone in this sport.”
Fernandez has since apologised for the ‘highly offensive language’ used in the video but his statement posted on Instagram on Tuesday it is unlikely to mend tensions with his Chelsea teammates anytime soon.
Former Aston Villa, Charlton, Tottenham and Sunderland striker Bent shared his own experiences of racist abuse while critiquing Fernandez’s performances during a television broadcast last season.
“I remember doing a show a couple of months ago about Enzo’s situation at Chelsea and how he’s played and there was a comment about how I didn’t think he had been good enough,” Bent told talkSPORT.
“I went to sleep and when I woke up there was a barrage of racist comments. I wasn’t talking about his personality or him as a character, just simply him as a player. I can’t tell you the amount of abuse that came through.”
On the video in question Bent added: “It’s not a good look for Enzo Fernandez at all, it’s really not.
“Before Wesley Fofana put that post on social media, I hope they [Chelsea teammates] would have contacted him first and asked the question of ‘what are you playing at?’
“But they’ll never look at him the same ever again regardless of whether he puts out the sorrys and says I should never have done this.
“Even if he stands there in front of his Chelsea teammates and says ‘I’m deeply sorry for what I’ve done’, they’ll never ever look at him the same.
“In the moment, he’s the one hosting the video. It’s quite clear that this is not his first time singing this song and it’s not their [Argentina squad] first time singing this song because they’re all happy, all singing and they’re all joyful because they’ve just won the Copa America.
“But at the same time, in that relaxed environment and it comes out as easy as it did, his teammates will never trust him the same way.”
After a challenging couple of years on and off the pitch at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea booked their return to European football following a late-season winning run.
With new boss Enzo Maresca at the helm and a feel-good factor beginning to shroud the club, the latest unwelcome issue could drive a huge wedge through the squad.
Bent sympathises with Chelsea’s French contingent and says Chelsea now have a big decision to make on how they tackle the issue.
“I don’t think he [Fernandez] can get himself out of it,” Bent said. “He’s probably the most relaxed he’s ever been because he’s just won another major honour and that’s when the loose lips come out, the free-flowing speech comes out and that’s when you sometimes see what a person’s really like.
“I don’t think he can just coast back into the dressing room and I genuinely believe that Chelsea have got a big decision to make here because this is going to affect them going forward.
“If you’re one of the France players, you’re waiting for Chelsea to do something about this because this almost tells you what side of the fence they’re sitting on.
“If they come out and say we’ll fine him and move on from the matter, I wouldn’t be happy with that at all.
“That’s not backing me, that’s almost just wiping it under the carpet. We’ve seen with UEFA and FIFA these pathetic fines, it doesn’t do anything.
“You’ve got black players in that dressing room. It’s all well and good people hiding behind campaigns and slogans saying we as a football club don’t condone racism, well here’s your opportunity now to lead by example.”
When pressed on what the Argentine’s punishment should be, Bent said: “I want to see a hard line, I’m not saying get rid of him. There might be no way back for him but I want something real to be done.
“I don’t want to see a fine, I don’t want to see blank statements saying he needs education. I need to see severe punishment.
“It has to be some sort of ban,” he added. “There has to be more than a fine. There’s no way he should be able to walk back into training and start playing and everything’s hunky dory.”
