Enzo Maresca has confirmed that his side will miss three first team players due to injury ahead of the Chelsea vs Brighton fixture.
Maresca’s injury troubles have deepened, with the club facing injury setbacks both in attack and defense ahead of the must-win Premier League fixture, Chelsea vs Brighton. Just as confirmation arrives that Cole Palmer will be sidelined for several weeks to fully recover from a persistent groin issue, another major blow has hit the backline.
Enzo Maresca’s side has relied heavily on Tosin Adarabioyo and Trevoh Chalobah so far this season, with Wesley Fofana only just returning after a long absence. The French defender featured in Tuesday’s Carabao Cup clash, completing his first 90 minutes since last November.
However, his comeback has been cut short, Fofana sustained a concussion during the match and must now follow the mandatory 12-day protocol before he can play again, ruling him out until after the upcoming international break.
To add to the frustration, Maresca revealed that Tosin is also expected to miss action until after the break due to a calf problem. That leaves Chalobah as the only senior centre-back certain to be available for Chelsea’s next three fixtures.
Benoît Badiashile is close to returning, though his recovery has been stop-start throughout the year. With Levi Colwill already out for the season, Maresca’s push for defensive reinforcements looks increasingly justified.
The only positive for Fofana is that his concussion is unrelated to his long-standing injury problems. Even so, his absence means he will miss key games against Benfica and Liverpool next week, and he may once again require a gradual build-up of minutes when he returns in mid-October.
Up front, Palmer’s absence is another major concern. The 22-year-old was forced off during last weekend’s loss to Manchester United and was seen icing his groin on the bench. Maresca confirmed that Chelsea have opted to give him a complete rest period of two to three weeks to ensure he is fully fit after the international break.
“We felt it was best to protect Cole and avoid the risk of aggravating the issue,” Maresca told reporters on Friday. “He doesn’t need surgery, it’s just about managing the pain from so many games. Hopefully, by the time we come back from the break, he’ll be ready to play at 100%.”
The Blues face Brighton in the Premier League this weekend, but they will have to do so without Palmer, Fofana, or Tosin, leaving Maresca with a serious selection headache.
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