Wesley Fofana could miss the rest of the season with the centre-back’s fourth long-term injury since he joined Chelsea in August 2022, manager Enzo Maresca has said.
Frenchman Fofana, who joined the Blues from Leicester City for £70m plus £5m in add-ons, had started all 12 Premier League games he was available for this season before suffering a hamstring injury in 3-0 home win over Aston Villa on 1st December.
“After tests, we realized it was worse than we thought at first,” Maresca said when asked why he had originally estimated Fofana would be out for four or five weeks.
“Unfortunately, we will miss him for a while. I don’t think this type of injury can be compared to the others.
“Before, he never had any kind of muscle injury. It’s a different kind of injury. He’s a bit unlucky, but he’ll come back and be as good as before.”
A late winner! 🇲🇦#CRYCHE 22/21 ⏮️ pic.twitter.com/IEVUZE4519
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 3, 2025
Fofana injury history
Fofana will have missed over 100 Chelsea games by the time the 24-year-old recovers from his latest setback, his first since missing all of last season with a knee injury.
He missed more than 10 weeks with a knee problem from October to December 2022 and sat out nine games with another knee problem shortly thereafter.
Knee injuries ruled the former France international out of 40 games in the 2019/20 and 2020/21 campaigns and Leicester have lost him for most of the 2021/22 season with a broken leg.
Palas vs Chelsea
Chelsea travel to Crystal Palace on Saturday (3pm GMT) aiming to win for the first time in four games and end a two-game losing streak after losing 2-1 at home to Fulham on December 26 and 2 -0 at Ipswich Town on Monday.
“Against Fulham we led until the 82nd minute and then conceded two goals,” Maresca said. “Against Ipswich, it wasn’t our day. Their desire to win the game and not concede was greater.
NG with the winner at Selhurst Park! 💪#CRYCHE 19/18 ⏮️ pic.twitter.com/F1rKuNYwMq
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 3, 2025
“We don’t like to lose games or drop points, but it’s not going to affect our trip. Don’t forget that this is a journey that only started five or six months ago.
“There are teams that have been together for five or six years and are fighting to win the Premier League. Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool are more ready than us. We’ll be there – hopefully soon.
“I didn’t have to lose a game to understand that. I’d like to tell you that we’re there, because it’s not a bad thing – it’s a nice thing, to be in the title race.
“I didn’t have to wait to lose two runs to prove myself right. I don’t think it’s bad form. We’re just taking it game by game.”
90.
No #PL The player has made more tackles and interceptions combined than Moi Caicedo this season. 🇪🇨💪 pic.twitter.com/fZyYtpvVUx
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 2, 2025
Maresca: Chelsea never asked for the Champions League
Maresca reiterated that he is not aiming to finish in the top four at the end of his first season in charge. “When I met the club, they never asked me to be in the Champions League this season,” he added.
“They asked me to build a team in two, three, four or five years that could fight for the title.”
