top of page
Barnaby Lane

Enzo Maresca on Romeo Lavia's return to fitness: "I’m very excited"

Updated: 2 days ago

Romeo Lavia.
Romeo Lavia. (Deposit Photos)

Romeo Lavia is finally fit again and Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca can't wait to see him back in action.


Lavia started the first two games of the season for the Blues against Manchester City and Servette before being sidelined for a month with a hamstring injury.


The Belgian midfielder had missed almost all of last season with the same injury.


He's now fit again, however, and is expected to make his return to action on Saturday when Chelsea host Brighton at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League.


In a pre-match press conference on Friday, Maresca spoke to his excitement to once again have Lavia available.


"He played one league game for us this season against City and I think it was a very good game from Romeo," said the Italian manager.


"I’m very excited thinking that soon we can have Moi and Romeo both fit 100%, because I think both together playing that position, they can give us a lot," he added, referring to Lavia's midfield counterpart Moises Caicedo.


"They can compete for one position and they can play together, for sure," he said of the pair.


On Caicedo, who joined Chelsea from Brighton last summer, Maresca praised the Ecuador captain for his own impressive start to the season, but also noted an area of his game which he still feels can improve.


"I think in this moment for us he’s a very important player," he said. "He's doing well, especially off the ball, but he can do much better on the ball and be more brave breaking the line. But I think with us he's doing very well, but he can be even better on the ball."


Elsewhere in his press conference, Maresca also explained his policy of insisting that all of his players, whether in the matchday squad or not, attend games and support the team.


"In terms of culture I think it's quite normal that if my team-mate is playing a game, I’m there before the game and after the game to support him, whether you do good or bad," he said, adding: "If we want to create something, these small things are very important."

Comments


bottom of page