Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca provided a concerning update on the injuries of midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Romeo Lavia following Monday night’s 1-0 Premier League victory over Wolves.
The win was crucial for Chelsea, marking their first league victory in over a month and lifting them back into the top four. However, the absence of both Fernandez and Lavia meant that Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was given his first Premier League start for the club.
The duo had started together in midfield against Bournemouth, with Lavia featuring due to Moises Caicedo temporarily playing as a right-back. Unfortunately, both players picked up muscle injuries that ruled them out of the Wolves game.
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Lavia’s injury appears to be more serious, and Maresca admitted there was still no clear timeline for either player’s return.
“Romeo is more important than Enzo,” Maresca told reporters. “We don’t know yet how long they are going to be out. Hopefully not too long. It’s a muscle fatigue or muscle problem. We need to wait a little bit. Both were involved against Bournemouth.”
Fernandez, who has captained Chelsea for much of the season, was absent for the Wolves match, though club captain Reece James made his return to the lineup and impressed against Matheus Cunha. Lavia had only just returned from a hamstring injury, and his appearance against Bournemouth was his first Premier League start in weeks.
With both midfielders sidelined, Chelsea’s depth in the middle of the park is thin. There were no spare midfielders on the bench against Wolves, raising concerns over Dewsbury-Hall’s readiness for a starting role at the top level.
Defenders Benoit Badiashile and Wesley Fofana also remain unavailable, though there is positive news in that Levi Colwill is “better now” and should be fit to face Manchester City on Saturday.