Chelsea handed defensive headache vs Brighton as Maresca reveals fresh double injury blow | OneFootball

Enzo Maresca has confirmed fresh injury blows as Chelsea will be without their two centre-backs, Wesley Fofana and Tosin Adarabioyo, for the upcoming match against Brighton & Hove Albion.

Given Levi Colwill's long-term injury absence, losing more centre-backs would be the last thing that Chelsea would hope for this season.

Maresca even previously spoke about how he had a hard time giving his centre-backs plenty at the start of this term.

Yet, here we are. The head coach has delivered, not just one, but two centre-back injury news.

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"We have a Tosin injury that probably will be out until the international break," said the Italian in Friday's press conference ahead of the Brighton match.

"He has a small problem in his calf. And then Wes Fofana, that he had a concussion the other day against Lincoln. And the rest, I think they are all okay."

This means Maresca are now left with Trevoh Chalobah as the only fully-fit centre-back option at his disposal, perhaps alongside 19-year-old Josh Acheampong.

But bear in mind that Acheampong missed Chelsea's Carabao Cup win over Lincoln on Tuesday due to illness.

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Benoit Badiashile, on the other hand, has recently been closer to making a comeback from an injury he suffered in the Club World Cup, but there is still a question mark over his match sharpness.

"Romeo (Lavia) and Benoit, they are better. We'll see if they can join us tomorrow. Otherwise it will be for the next one," Maresca explained.

Depending on the situation, Jorrel Hato could be used as a centre-back, too. The Netherlands international used to play as a centre-back for his former club Ajax quite often in 2023/24.

For now, centre-back rotation would arguably be the biggest problem for Maresca, with three more fixtures: against Brighton, Benfica, and Liverpool, before the international break in early October.