Chelsea’s defensive stability has taken a significant hit as Wesley Fofana is expected to miss the entire festive period due to a hamstring injury.
The French defender was substituted during Sunday’s 3-0 victory over Aston Villa, and manager Enzo Maresca has confirmed that the centre-back will be out for “at least three, four, five weeks.”
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Fofana, who has been pivotal for Chelsea this season, has started all but one Premier League match, forming a solid partnership with Levi Colwill.
His absence is particularly frustrating as the Blues finally recorded their first clean sheet in eight league games against Villa. As quoted by Standard, Maresca expressed his disappointment, saying:
“Unfortunately, it’s bad news,” Maresca said of Fofana’s setback. “It’s a hamstring problem. These kind of things require at least three, four, five weeks. In this moment, you lose 10 games or 12 games.
“In the way he was playing, it’s a big loss for us. But we have more players and we’ll try to find solutions.”
Fofana’s injury adds to Chelsea’s growing list of defensive concerns, with Reece James also sidelined due to a hamstring issue.
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Managing Fofana’s Workload
After missing the entirety of last season with a serious knee injury, Chelsea had adopted a cautious approach to Fofana’s workload.
The 23-year-old was omitted from their Conference League squad to manage his fitness but now faces a significant spell on the sidelines.
Maresca acknowledged the setback, adding:
“It’s normal when you play this amount of games. Fortunately, it’s his first injury this season, but we’re going to find solutions.”
As Chelsea aim to maintain momentum during a crucial part of the season, Maresca will need to lean on his defensive depth to navigate a packed festive schedule without one of his most reliable defenders.
