[ad_1]
Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana could miss the rest of the season with the hamstring injury he sustained in December head coach Enzo Maresca has confirmed.
Fofana, 24, has not played for Maresca’s side since suffering the hamstring injury against Aston Villa on December 1.
The Frenchman’s issue may be more serious than first thought, with Maresca stating that the defender missing the remainder of the season is now a possibility, in addition to fellow French defender Benoit Badiashile also being set for a period on the sidelines.
Maresca said: “Unfortunately, Wes (Fofana) will be out for a very long time and Benoit (Badiashile) will be out at least until February. The only two big (injury) updates are on Wes Fofana and Benoit. Unfortunately, he (Fofana) could be out for the season. We don’t know exactly if it will be for the entire season, he could be out for part of the season.
“Every time you ask me about Wes, I have said many times that I am in love with Wes. Wes is that kind of defender who can give you the chance to press and be aggressive, to leave him one-v-one with Ollie Watkins on the pitch. We did exactly the same with Benoit Badiashile before his injury one-v-one with Dominic Solanke on the pitch and they can deal with that. It is very difficult to find that kind of defender. Unfortunately, both are injured and we are trying to find a solution. But for sure Wes is a huge loss.”
“It was the first update (after the Aston Villa game), the first information we had. On making the test we realised it (Fofana’s injury) was worse than what we thought at the beginning.
Maresca also confirmed that Fofana had sustained a torn hamstring, saying: “Yes (it is a bad tear). It is his hamstring and unfortunately, we are going to lose him for a while.
“I don’t think this injury can be compared with the rest. This one is muscular and I don’t think previously he had any muscular problem. It is a different kind of injury. He is a bit unlucky but he will be back, and he will be back hopefully the same as before his injury.”
Injuries have resulted in Fofana being limited to making just 32 appearances for Chelsea since joining from Leicester City in 2022. (Photo by Robin Jones/Getty Images)
Fofana has struggled to maintain fitness since joining Chelsea from Leicester City in the summer of 2022 with several serious injuries resulting in long periods out of action for the France international.
Successive knee injuries in 2022 forced him to be sidelined for much of his debut season at Stamford Bridge.
He underwent reconstruction surgery on an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in July 2023, forcing him to miss the entirety of the 2023/24 season.
While playing for Leicester in August 2021, Fofana sustained a broken leg during a friendly against Villareal. This resulted in him missing eight months of action and the majority of the 2021/22 season.
Prior to the hamstring injury he sustained in December, Fofana had made 12 Premier League appearances for Chelsea this campaign, forming a burgeoning centre-back partnership with Levi Colwill at the heart of Chelsea’s defence.
The injuries have limited Fofana to making just 32 appearances for Chelsea.
GO DEEPER
Fofana’s injury presents a problem for Chelsea. Who will Maresca turn to?
(Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
[ad_2]
Source link