Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has revealed that Romeo Lavia has returned to training this week.
It was originally expected that the Belgian international would be out until the next international break with a thigh muscle injury, but speaking in his pre-match conference ahead of the game against FC Copenhagen, Maresca said:
“Romeo has started to train with us in the last two days. Slowly but surely, we are getting players back and ready for the final bit of the season.”
“We said that already a few times. Unfortunately, our bad moment started with the amount of injuries [we have], but some of them are already back and in the process to be back. It is a huge boost for me – and for the players.”
Lavia has not played since being taken off early in the second half of the 2-2 draw against Bournemouth back in mid-January.
Three other Chelsea players are back available
Maresca has also confirmed that Trevoh Chalobah, Benoit Badiashile and Wesley Fofana have returned to training, although each is at a different stage of match fitness.
Chalobah has only missed one game after picking up a minor injury in the early stages of the defeat to Aston Villa a couple of weeks ago, so he is available for selection straight away.
Badiashile and Fofana, on the other hand, have not played since December, although Maresca says the former has been training for “the last 10 days” – suggesting he could be ready for a substitute appearance at the very least.
4 first-team players remain on the treatment table
Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke both have hamstring problems and neither is expected to return before the beginning of April.
Marc Guiu (hamstring/muscular) and Omari Kellyman (hamstring) are currently sidelined for an indefinite period.