What Chelsea matches Romeo Lavia will miss as Blues confirm extent of injury | OneFootball

Chelsea have learned the extent of Romeo Lavia's injury setback which is set to see him sidelined for at least a month.

The 21-year-old was forced off in the opening minutes of Chelsea's 2-2 draw against Qarabag in the Champions League last week with a quadriceps injury.

Prior to missing the win over Wolves in the Premier League, Lavia featured in four of Chelsea's five previous league matches, offering hope to head coach Enzo Maresca as he managed his return to full fitness.

Since joining Chelsea from Southampton in 2023, the Belgium international has been the subject of multiple injuries, including a thigh problem at the Club World Cup.

Just as things were looking up for Lavia, he suffered another setback, which Maresca admitted was a 'shame' as they look to persist on finding a solution for the midfielder.

IMAGO / Pro Sports Images

"It's a shame," said the Chelsea head coach last week. "It's a shame in this moment also because we are trying to minimise menus for him. But even with that, he's injured again.

"We need to insist until we don't find the right solution for him."

After waiting for the problem to be confirmed, the extent of Lavia's injury has been revealed.

Lavia is set to miss at least one month of the season, a big blow for Chelsea as they head into the crucial festive period.

Should Lavia miss exactly a month of the campaign, he will be unavailable for at least six Chelsea matches which come against Burnley, Barcelona, Arsenal, Leeds United, AFC Bournemouth and Atalanta.

Despite Chelsea's best efforts to keep Lavia fit, it's another blow for Maresca's side. | IMAGO / Sports Press Photo

Chelsea face Everton on December 13 at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League, before heading to Wales to face Cardiff City in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals three days later.

Should Lavia be ready to return to selection, Maresca could eye easing the midfielder back into the side for the remainder of the year ahead of a big clash against Manchester City to kick off 2026 on January 4.

For now, Lavia and Chelsea need to focus on the youngster returning to full fitness before any plans over his minutes are considered.