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Wesley Fofana may miss the remainder of the season with the centre-back’s fourth long-term damage since becoming a member of Chelsea in August 2022, supervisor Enzo Maresca has mentioned.
Frenchman Fofana, who joined the Blues from Leicester Metropolis for £70 million plus £5m in add-ons, had began all 12 of the Premier League video games he was out there for this season earlier than struggling a hamstring damage within the 3-0 residence win over Aston Villa on December 1.
“After checks, we realised that it was worse than we thought firstly,” Maresca mentioned when he was requested why he had initially estimated Fofana can be out for 4 or 5 weeks.
“Sadly, we’re going to lose him for some time. I don’t assume this type of damage could be in comparison with the remainder.
“Beforehand, he by no means had any form of muscle damage. It’s a unique form of damage. He’s a bit unfortunate however he will likely be again and pretty much as good as he was earlier than.”
A late, late winner! 🇲🇦#CRYCHE 21/22 ⏮️ pic.twitter.com/IEVUZE4519
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 3, 2025
Fofana damage historical past
Fofana could have missed effectively over 100 Chelsea matches by the point the 24-year-old recovers from his newest setback, which is his first since lacking all of final season with a knee damage.
He was absent for greater than 10 weeks with a knee drawback between October and December 2022 and sat out 9 video games with one other knee problem shortly afterwards.
Knee accidents brought about the previous France worldwide to sit down out 40 matches throughout the 2019/20 and 2020/21 campaigns, and Leicester misplaced him for a lot of the 2021/22 season to a damaged leg.
Palace vs Chelsea
Chelsea journey to Crystal Palace on Saturday (3pm GMT) with the purpose of successful for the primary time in 4 video games and ending a two-match dropping run, having been crushed 2-1 at residence by Fulham on December 26 and succumbed 2-0 at Ipswich City on Monday.
“Towards Fulham, we had been main till the 82nd minute after which conceded two targets,” mentioned Maresca. “Towards Ipswich, it was not our day. Their want to win the sport and never concede was larger.
NG with the winner at Selhurst Park! 💪#CRYCHE 18/19 ⏮️ pic.twitter.com/F1rKuNYwMq
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 3, 2025
“We don’t prefer to lose video games or drop factors, nevertheless it’s not going to have an effect on our journey. Don’t neglect that this can be a journey that began simply 5 or 6 months in the past.
“There are groups who’ve been collectively for 5 or 6 years and are preventing to win the Premier League. Metropolis, Arsenal and Liverpool are extra prepared than us. We’re going to be there – hopefully quickly.
“I didn’t must lose a recreation to know that. I might have favored to have informed you we’re there, as a result of it’s not one thing dangerous – it’s one thing good, to be within the title race.
“I didn’t want to attend to lose two in a row to show that I’m proper. I don’t assume it’s dangerous kind; we simply analyse it game-by-game.”
90.
No #PL participant has made extra tackles and interceptions mixed than Moi Caicedo this season. 🇪🇨💪 pic.twitter.com/fZyYtpvVUx
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 2, 2025
Maresca: Chelsea ‘by no means requested’ for Champions League
Maresca reiterated that he has not been set a goal of a top-four end on the finish of his first season in cost. “After I met the membership, they by no means requested me to be within the Champions League this season,” he added.
“They requested me to construct a group in two, three, 4 or 5 years that would battle for the title.”
