Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has confirmed that both Romeo Lavia and Wesley Fofana are sidelined due to new muscle injuries.
Lavia was again unavailable for Chelsea in their 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur, marking just 14 appearances for the club since his arrival in 2023. He was later joined on the injury list by Fofana, who had been recovering from long-term issues.
Fofana had hoped to overcome his previous injury troubles after becoming a key player early in Maresca’s tenure. However, a hamstring injury forced him back onto the sidelines in December, with initial fears it could be a season-ending setback. He made his return early last month.
“A muscle problem a few days ago, and we are waiting for more checks,” Maresca said, confirming both players are dealing with similar issues. “Both have the same problem, a muscle problem.”
Maresca did not provide a specific timeline for their return but suggested that Lavia could make his comeback sooner than Fofana.
“We don’t know yet,” the Chelsea boss explained. “We are waiting for both. Romeo looks a little bit better in terms of injury compared to Wes, so probably Romeo could be back earlier than Wes.”
On Lavia’s progress this season, Maresca added, “If you compare Romeo’s games this season to last season, he’s already improved. The target with Romeo is just to keep him fit as much as we can. Next year, he’ll play more games than this season.”
