Six Chelsea games Romeo Lavia is set to miss after latest injury news reveals Enzo Maresca blow

Romeo Lavia is expected to miss at least six matches for Chelsea after the midfielder limped off inside 10 minutes of the 2-2 draw with Qarabag last week.

football.london understands the 21-year-old is due to be absent for a minimum of a month after he hurt his quad in Azerbaijan last Wednesday. Lavia is now not due back until mid-December with his injury hell at Stamford Bridge continuing.

Lavia has missed a total of 78 matches since signing from Southampton in the summer of 2023 - and that number is now set to increase by at least six with another muscular issue. Just over one month from now is Chelsea's Premier League clash with Everton at Stamford Bridge on December 13 - a potential, albeit it seems too early to definitely say just yet, return date for the Belgian midfielder.

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If that is the case, then Lavia will miss a trip to Burnley, back-to-back home matches versus Barcelona and Arsenal, three away games against Leeds United, Bournemouth and Atalanta. If his time out was to extend beyond that, Chelsea's December also includes Cardiff City (away), Newcastle United (away), Aston Villa (home) and Bournemouth (home).

Chelsea will be hoping he is back for at least part of that extremely busy period with Enzo Maresca short when it comes to natural midfield options. Dario Essugo is not expected to return until December/start of 2026 as he continues his recovery from thigh surgery, with Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Andrey Santos being the head coach's only orthodox options in the middle of the pitch.

Maresca, though, does have other options; albeit much more unorthodox. "We have Caicedo, we have Enzo Fernandez, we have Pedro Neto, we have Joao Pedro, that they are all players that they are not training every day," the Chelsea head coach explained last week. "But in this moment, you see Moi, the other day, after five minutes, he was on the pitch.

"In the past, we used Andrey Santos as a No.6. In the past, we also used Josh [Acheampong] as a No.6. And Reece [James] has been playing as a No.6. But for sure, when you have more options, it is better."

Maresca does have some options to cover Lavia's absence, fortunately for Chelsea. One thing for sure is that the Blues will not rush Lavia back. As they have been with the Belgian since he arrived over two years ago, they will be careful and cautious when re-introducing him to the side as they continue their hunt to solve his ongoing nightmare.