Roméo Lavia is expected to miss at least a month of action for Chelsea because of a quad injury, multiple reports have revealed.
The Belgian is one of a handful of players whose fitness has been a priority for manager Enzo Maresca. Since joining Chelsea in 2023, Lavia has made just 30 appearances across all competitions after being struck down by a series of injuries, and he has returned to the sidelines after managing just over five minutes in the recent 2–2 draw with Qarabağ.
“It’s a shame in this moment because we were trying to minimise minutes for him but even with that, he’s injured again,” Maresca said after the game.
Sky Sports News are among the outlets to report that Lavia will be absent from the first team for around four weeks and that Chelsea will continue to assess the 21-year-old, whose extensive injury history means no risks will be taken with his recovery—there are already concerns that the young midfielder may be ruled out for even longer than the given timeframe.
The Games Romeo Lavia Could Miss for Chelsea
A potential return in the middle of December would see Lavia miss Premier League games against Burnley, league leaders Arsenal, Leeds United and Bournemouth, with even the meeting with Everton on Dec. 13 perhaps coming too soon.
Chelsea also have tough Champions League games against Barcelona and Atalanta to navigate at a time in which Moisés Caicedo continues to battle various minor fitness issues and fellow midfielder Enzo Fernández has withdrawn from the Argentina squad over a four-month battle with a knee problem.
To help cope with Lavia’s absence, the versatile Reece James will likely be tasked with spending more time in midfield, with Brazil international Andrey Santos another option. Dário Essugo, who joined from Sporting CP in the summer, is not expected back from a knee injury until 2026.
The Six Matches Roméo Lavia Could Miss Through Injury
Analysis: Continued Lavia Injuries a Real Concern
SI FC’s Toby Cudworth.
Lavia’s 30 appearances for Chelsea have been complemented by 78 games spent on the sidelines—meaning he’s featured in just 27% of the matches he could have been available for.
Undoubtedly Lavia’s a player of supreme quality, hence his reputation as one of the most promising defensive midfielders in the game, but the stop-start nature of his Stamford Bridge career is becoming a real cause for concern.
Chelsea have been down this road before, with James another player to frequently be sidelined by muscular issues, but you start to wonder when the club’s patience might wear thin because of the knock-on effect it’s having on Caicedo. Yes, he’s one of, if not the, best central midfielder in the world right now, but he can’t keep appearing for the Blues in every competition because Lavia isn’t available.
Ultimately, Chelsea may have to dip their hand into their pocket to sign additional cover. That could jeopardise Lavia’s long-term future in west London but he’s currently leaving the club little alternative but to consider such a course of action.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Chelsea ‘Assessing’ Romeo Lavia Problem, Injury Timeline Revealed.
