Chelsea midfielder Romeo Lavia missed Tuesday's pre-season friendly against Western Sydney Wanderers with a hamstring injury.
Xabi Alonso's first official game in charge materialised into a thrilling 6-4 victory over the A-League club in a fixture where the Blues trailed on three occasions.
The Spaniard named a youthful XI for the first half before turning to some of the club's stars after the break.
However, despite the expectation that he would be on the substitutes' bench, there was no appearance for Lavia.
Speaking after the match, Alonso revealed why the Belgian player failed to earn any minutes.
© Imago / Uk Sports Pics Ltd
Alonso reveals Lavia injury issue
As quoted by The Standard, Alonso said that Lavia "felt something in his hamstring".
The Spaniard added that it was "not worth taking the risk" on a player who has been plagued by fitness issues in his three seasons at Stamford Bridge.
On a more positive note, Alonso hinted that there was a chance of the 22-year-old being able to return against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.
© Imago / Sportimage
Should Chelsea consider Lavia loan?
Since arriving from Southampton for in excess of £50m in 2023, Lavia is yet to complete 90 minutes for Chelsea.
He already finds himself behind Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez and Reece James in the pecking order, as well as realistically on a par with Dario Essugo ahead of the potential arrival of Jordan Henderson from Brentford.
Although Lavia brings quality to the team when he is fit, the former Manchester City youngster may benefit from a change in scenery to see if he can stay clear of injury.
Chelsea are not in a position to sell Lavia, a consequence of no clubs being interested in paying what they need to avoid a loss on their accounts.