Chelsea’s defensive woes have deepened after manager Enzo Maresca confirmed that Tosin Adarabioyo will miss the next three games with a calf injury, while Wesley Fofana is sidelined following a concussion. With Levi Colwill already out long-term and Benoit Badiashile yet to feature this season, Enzo Maresca is facing a growing crisis at centre-back.
Getty Images SportAdarabioyo and Fofana out for the Brighton clash
Maresca revealed on Friday that Adarabioyo suffered a calf issue and will not return until after the international break. Fofana is also unavailable after picking up a concussion during the Carabao Cup win at Lincoln. It leaves Chelsea without several first-choice defenders heading into a packed run of fixtures.
“We have a Tosin injury,” Maresca said during his Friday press conference. “He will probably be out until the international break. He has a small injury in his calf. Wesley Fofana had a concussion the other day against Lincoln. The rest are all OK.”
AdvertisementGetty Images SportChelsea's massive injury crisis
The injuries could not come at a worse time for Chelsea, who are already without Colwill for most of the season and have yet to see Badiashile make an appearance. The defensive absentees further stretch a squad already missing Liam Delap, Dario Essugo and Romeo Lavia. Maresca will now be forced to shuffle his backline in key Premier League matches, with Fofana expected to miss the clash.
Palmer also out for the next few weeks
Maresca went on to confirm that Chelsea superstar Cole Palmer will also miss the next few clashes as he is still struggling with his injury.
The Italian said, "We decided to protect a little bit, Cole, in terms of it not getting worse, the injury. We decided to rest him for the next two or three weeks until the international break.
“We’ll see with that rest whether he can be 100 per cent fit after the international break. I don’t think he needs surgery; it’s just a matter [of managing] his pain in his groin. With this amount of games, these things can happen.”
Chelsea up against Brighton next
Chelsea face Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday before fixtures against Arsenal and Bournemouth ahead of the October international break. Maresca will need to manage his resources carefully, as Mykhailo Mudryk remains unavailable, while Facundo Buonanotte cannot play against parent club Brighton this weekend
