Chelsea Injury Update: Confirmed Latest on Romeo Lavia, Wesley Fofana and more | OneFootball

Chelsea Injury Round-Up: Maresca Faces Familiar Fitness Hurdles in Season Run-In

As Chelsea chase a strong finish to a turbulent season, the spectre of injuries continues to shape Enzo Maresca’s plans. While Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Ipswich – a match that saw the Blues claw back from two goals down – may have provided a snapshot of their resilience, it also highlighted the fragility of a squad repeatedly interrupted by fitness setbacks.

Several first-team players including Cole Palmer, Noni Madueke and Nicolas Jackson were back in the starting XI despite recent knocks. Encouraging signs, yes, but the deeper injury bulletin reveals a familiar tale: progress for some, prolonged absence for others.

Encouraging Developments for Lavia and Guiu

One name long-absent from the Chelsea line-up is Romeo Lavia. The midfielder, once expected to play a central role this season, has been sidelined for four months with persistent hamstring problems. After making a training return earlier this month, Lavia suffered another setback before the win over Tottenham.

Photo: IMAGO

Still, Maresca offered a more optimistic update last week.

“Hopefully, we can get Romeo [playing] very soon,” he said.“I don’t know about the next game, but he looks good in terms of being back soon.”

Lavia’s return could materialise as early as Chelsea’s trip to Fulham on Sunday, April 20 – a potential boost for Maresca at a critical juncture.

Another youngster nearing a return is striker Marc Guiu. Out since February with a suspected hamstring injury, Guiu’s recovery has picked up pace.

“Marc, we have good news from today that he looks quite good, much better, and he can be back before the season finishes,” Maresca confirmed after the recent win over Legia Warsaw.

Guiu is now targeting a return before May 2025, and his comeback could inject some much-needed energy into Chelsea’s attacking ranks.

Fofana Sidelined Again

Sadly, the story of Wesley Fofana’s season has been one of frustration and setback. The defender was forced to undergo surgery following a serious hamstring injury sustained ahead of the match against Spurs.

The club confirmed the extent of the issue in a medical statement:

“Wesley was assessed by specialists this week after the 24-year-old suffered an injury of the muscle. Following that assessment, it was concluded that an operation would be required.The 24-year-old will now begin his recovery and undergo rehabilitation with the club’s medical staff at Cobham over the coming weeks.”

There will be no return this season for Fofana, with the club targeting Summer 2025 as a more realistic recovery timeline.

Setback for Kellyman After Difficult First Season

Omari Kellyman’s first campaign at Chelsea has been wrecked by injury. A severe hamstring issue suffered in September prevented him from making a senior debut. Just as he appeared close to returning, disaster struck again – a reinjury has ended his season prematurely.

In a heartfelt social media post, Kellyman wrote:

“Beyond gutted to say that this season has come to an early end for me due to a reinjury of my hamstring, despite only just returning after having hamstring issues for a massive part of this season.24-25 has been a tough season for me mentally and physically due to injury but it’s important now that I take time to get this right and come out the other side stronger and better ready for what next season brings.”

Like Fofana, his focus will now shift towards returning in Summer 2025.

Chelsea’s Injury Narrative Continues

For all of Chelsea’s investment and youth-centric planning, the squad has once again found itself at the mercy of muscle strains and surgical rooms. The team’s capacity to end the campaign on a high will depend not just on tactical nous but also on who is available when it matters most.

With Lavia and Guiu potentially returning in time to influence key fixtures, there is at least a glimmer of light amid the shadows cast by Fofana and Kellyman’s extended absences. Maresca must now balance cautious reintegration with competitive demands – a familiar challenge at Stamford Bridge.