Chelsea have been dealt another injury blow. Romeo Lavia is set to miss at least six matches. This is after suffering a quadriceps injury. This was during their recent Champions League tie. At just 21, the Belgian’s recurring fitness issues are becoming a serious concern for the club.
Lavia Injury and Timeline
Lavia pulled up inside eight minutes of Chelsea’s 2-2 draw with Qarabah. He was forcing an early substitution. The club have confirmed it as a quad injury. The initial assessments suggests that he’ll be out for around a month.
His expected return now puts him out of six games, including major fixtures against Arsenal and Barcelona.
The matches he’s likely to miss
The six matches likely to go without Lavia include:
Burnley (A)
Barcelona (H)
Arsenal (H)
Leeds United (A)
Bournemouth (A)
Atalanta (UCL)
Depending on his recovery, even more games could be on the table.
What this means for Chelsea
Midfield-wise, Chelsea now face limited options. Now Lavia is out. Manager Enzo Maresca will lean heavily on Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez. The lack of midfield rotation could lead to fatigue. This is a dangerous during this busy schedule.
Is this now a pattern?
This injury adds to Lavia’s mounting absences. This is since joining the club in 2023. Despite his talent, the stop-start progress raises questions. He is could be unreliable on the long-term.
Author’s Insight
Here’s the raw truth: Lavia is a real talent, but talent alone won’t fill this gap. For Chelsea, losing him for six crucial matches is a major disruption. The club must adapt quickly, rotate wisely, and protect their other options. For Lavia himself, this moment is critical—he needs to recover carefully and build consistency. Otherwise, the question becomes: Can we count on him when it truly matters? For now, the answer is uncertain.
As featured on Chelseanews.com