'We feel very ashamed' - Enzo Maresca offers Romeo Lavia update as Chelsea star's injury nightmare continues

Chelsea’s Champions League trip to Azerbaijan turned from frustrating to disastrous as Lavia suffered yet another injury setback in the opening stages of Wednesday’s 2-2 draw with Qarabag. The 21-year-old midfielder, who had only recently returned from a long-term hamstring issue, pulled up within the first ten minutes of the contest and was replaced by Moises Caicedo after receiving treatment. It was a devastating blow for both the player and Maresca, who had warned before the match that Lavia needed to be carefully managed following his fragile injury record.

The Belgian was making just his 30th appearance for the club in more than two years, a statistic that underlines the extent of his unrelenting fitness issues since arriving at Stamford Bridge. His latest setback is believed to be a quadriceps injury rather than a recurrence of his previous hamstring problem, but initial reports suggest another extended spell on the sidelines is likely. Chelsea’s evening went from bad to worse when, despite taking an early lead through Estevao, they fell 2-1 behind before half-time, only salvaging a draw through Alejandro Garnacho’s second-half equaliser.

Speaking after the match, Chelsea manager Maresca cut a dejected figure as he addressed Lavia’s latest injury in his post-match press conference. “We feel very ashamed, especially for him, because he’s not able to be fit for a long, long period,” Maresca said. “It’s not a recurrence of his hamstring problem; it looks like a quad injury. We’ll need to assess him further, but it doesn’t look good.”

The Italian had expressed similar concerns just 24 hours earlier, emphasising that the club’s primary goal was to protect Lavia’s fragile fitness. “The main target for Romeo now is to be fit. Don’t get any injuries,” Maresca said on Tuesday. “For me, at this moment, Romeo is where Reece [James] was one year ago — coming back after a long period out. We need to manage him every minute, every day, every second. The target is to keep him fit and help him enjoy football again.”

Maresca also praised Lavia’s attitude in training and insisted the club would not give up on helping him recover. “We are happy with the way he’s progressing. The only thing we want is to keep him fit,” he added. “It’s my duty to protect him, even if that means limiting his minutes. He’s an important player for us and a wonderful person, so this hurts everyone inside the club.”

Lavia’s Chelsea career has so far been defined by a cruel series of injuries that have derailed his development and tested the club’s patience. Signed amid huge excitement in August 2023, the Belgian’s debut was delayed for months by an ankle issue. When he finally donned the Blue shirt for the first time, as a substitute against Crystal Palace in December, he picked up a thigh injury in the same match, ruling him out for the rest of the campaign.

The following 2024-25 season offered glimpses of hope, including a promising spell alongside Caicedo in midfield. However, those moments were fleeting, with recurring muscle problems cutting each return short.

Lavia’s situation is a particularly bitter pill for Chelsea, given the £58 million they invested to secure his services from Southampton in 2023. Since then, the midfielder has spent over 500 days out injured, missing more than 80 competitive matches across all competitions. His latest injury marks the eighth distinct injury of his Blues career. Across all competitions, Lavia has played fewer than 1,000 minutes for Chelsea and the midfielder has never completed a full 90 minutes for the club.

Chelsea’s immediate priority will be to conduct medical scans to determine the extent of Lavia’s latest injury, with early suggestions pointing to a multi-week layoff. Maresca’s options in midfield have once again been stretched, leaving Enzo Fernandez and Caicedo as the club’s only fully fit senior central midfielders ahead of a crucial run of fixtures. The Blues’ medical staff are expected to take a cautious approach, with no timeline set for Lavia’s return until the full diagnosis is confirmed.

Internally, there is growing concern about the long-term viability of Lavia’s career if his injury pattern persists. Club sources have indicated that Chelsea may look to bring in additional midfield cover during the January window to ease the pressure on their existing options. The coaching staff, meanwhile, are reportedly considering a revised rehabilitation plan for Lavia, potentially involving an extended conditioning program away from match action to fully rebuild his strength.