Enzo Maresca: Midfielder Lavia Ruled Out of Brentford Match, Fofana's Return Uncertain

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca confirms that Wesley Fofana and Romeo Lavia will miss Sunday's Premier League match against Brentford due to injuries.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has confirmed that defenders Wesley Fofana and Romeo Lavia will miss Sunday's Premier League match against Brentford due to injuries. This news comes after Chelsea's 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday, which propelled them to fourth place in the table with eight matches remaining.

Fofana, 24, recently returned from an extended period on the sidelines due to a muscle injury but has only played two league matches since his comeback. However, he has suffered another setback, and Maresca revealed that Fofana is awaiting further checks. “Fofana had a muscle problem a few days ago and we are waiting for more checks,” Maresca told reporters on Friday.

Lavia has also struggled with injuries, playing only two Premier League games since early December. He recently suffered a setback in his recovery from a hamstring injury, and Maresca confirmed that Lavia will not be available for the Brentford match. Both Fofana and Lavia were regular starters for Maresca earlier in the season, but their progress has been significantly hindered by injuries.

🏥 Enzo Maresca: “Fofana had a muscle problem a few days ago and we are waiting for more checks. Lavia for Sunday is out. We don’t know [about a timeline] yet. Romeo looks a little bit better injury compared to Wes, in terms of Romeo will probably be back more quickly than Wes.” pic.twitter.com/cInJ0A4WR2

— ChelsTransfer (@ChelsTransfer) April 4, 2025

Enzo Maresca provided an update on the injury status of Romeo Lavia, confirming that the midfielder will miss Sunday's match against Brentford. When asked about Lavia's availability, Maresca replied, “No, for Sunday, he is out. We don't know yet how long he will be unavailable for.”

Maresca also compared the injury situations of Lavia and Wesley Fofana, suggesting that Lavia's injury may be less severe. “We are waiting for both,” Maresca said. “Romeo looks a little bit better injury compared to Wes (Fofana), in terms of probably Romeo can be back earlier than Wes.”

Despite Lavia's limited playing time this season, Maresca emphasized the importance of the 21-year-old Belgian midfielder to Chelsea's plans. “If you compare Romeo's games this season to last season, he's already improved,” Maresca noted. He added that the primary goal for Lavia is to maintain his fitness, saying, “The target with Romeo is just to try to keep him fit as much as we can.” Maresca is optimistic about Lavia's future, predicting that he will play more games next season. “The next year he'll play more games than this season,” he said.