Wesley Fofana picked up a hamstring injury in Chelsea’s 3-0 win against Aston Villa all the way back in December.
But on Sunday, Fofana was finally able to make his first appearance since then, starting in his side’s 1-0 victory over Leicester City.
That win saw Chelsea overtake Manchester City and return to the top four, giving their chances of finishing in the Champions League places a massive boost.
Chelsea fans were pleased with Fofana’s performance and had every right to be. He put in a solid display, especially for someone who has been out for so long and was playing out of position.
Photo by Shaun Brooks - CameraSport via Getty Images
Photo by Shaun Brooks – CameraSport via Getty Images
Wesley Fofana did well on return
It could have been a really difficult afternoon for Fofana, with Enzo Maresca starting him at right-back.
While Reece James played in midfield in Chelsea’s 1-0 win against Copenhagen in the Conference League last week, he is still the team’s first-choice right-back.
However, the 25-year-old missed the Leicester tie because of illness, while Malo Gusto was also unavailable for the game.
MORE CHELSEA STORIES
As a result, Maresca started Fofana at right-back, and the Frenchman did not disappoint. His pass success rate was the highest in the Chelsea team, while no Leicester player managed to dribble past him on the day.
Wesley Fofana vs Leicester Total
Minutes 73
Clearances 2
Interceptions 1
Dribbled past 0
Ground duels (won) 4 (2)
Aerial duels (won) 3 (2)
Touches 71
Accurate passes 56/59 (95%)
Via Sofascore
It was not a bad performance at all. Maresca will be so glad to have him back, though you would expect the 24-year-old to eventually return to central defence.
During one point in the Leicester game, Maresca was seen screaming at the fourth official, with the Chelsea manager wanting a second penalty. In the end, though, Fofana and the rest of the team did not need it.
Photo by Robin Jones/Getty Images
Photo by Robin Jones/Getty Images
Enzo Maresca would be crazy to start Wesley Fofana at right-back against Arsenal
Chelsea’s next Premier League game is against Arsenal on Sunday. Hopefully, James and Gusto will be available for that, but if they are not, then Maresca could be tempted to leave Fofana at right-back. It would be a terrible idea.
The France international has just returned from a hamstring injury. The last thing the Chelsea medical team will want to see is him running up and down the right flank in a high-intensity match at the Emirates.
In the long run, it would make more sense to use Moises Caicedo or Josh Acheampong there, but hopefully James and Gusto are both available for the London derby.
Enzo Fernandez will want to partner Caicedo in midfield, so he will be hoping for someone else to play at right-back this weekend.