ROMEO LAVIA missed the trip to Wolves due to a hamstring injury, Enzo Maresca confirmed.
The Belgian youngster, 20, played just once in the entirety of his debut season at Stamford Bridge due to a series of injuries.
He started the 2-0 opening-weekend defeat to Manchester City, playing 67 minutes alongside Moises Caicedo before being replaced by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
Lavia then came on for the final six minutes against Servette in Conference League qualifying.
And he was just beginning to build confidence and make his mark in the starting XI.
Lavia insisted “we are building something amazing” in West London while Cole Palmer tipped the ex-Southampton man to blow fans away this term.
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But his injury woes returned and the crocked £58million star was ruled out of today’s clash away at Wolves.
Maresca tried to play down the seriousness of the problem, though.
The Chelsea manager revealed: “Romeo has a small hamstring issue but not a huge concern.”
Carney Chukwuemeka also missed out on the matchday squad at Molineux amid reports linking him with a transfer exit.
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New signing Joao Felix is involved following his permanent switch from Atletico Madrid.
However, he must settle for a place on the bench alongside fellow Portuguese stars Renato Veiga and Pedro Neto.
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- Raheem Sterling – £50m
- Kalidou Koulibaly £33m
- Gabriel Slonina – £8m
- Carney Chukweumeka – £20m
- Marc Cucurella – £57.5m
- Cesare Casadei – £13.3m
- Wesley Fofana – £70m
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – £10.3m
- Denis Zakaria – £2.7m (Loan fee)
- David Datro Fofana – £10.6m
- Benoit Badiashile – £33.7m
- Andrey Santos – £11.1m
- Joao Felix – £9.7m (Loan fee)
- Mykhailo Mudryk – £62m
- Noni Madueke – £30m
- Malo Gusto – £26.75m
- Enzo Fernandez – £107.8m
- Christopher Nkunku – £52m
- Diego Moreira – FREE
- Nicolas Jackson – £31.5m
- Angelo Gabriel – £13m
- Lesley Ugochukwu – £23.3m
- Axel Disasi – £38.9m
- Robert Sanchez – £20m
- Moises Caicedo – £100m
- Romeo Lavia – £53.2m
- Deivid Washington – £13.7m
- Cole Palmer – £40.1m
- Djordje Petrovic – £13.6m
- Tosin Adarabioyo – FREE
- Marc Guiu – £5.1m
- Caleb Wiley – £8.63m
- Renato Veiga – £12m
- Aarón Anselmino – £14m
- Omari Kellyman – £19.2m
- Filip Jorgensen – £21m
- Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – £30.2m
- Pedro Neto – £51m
- Joao Felix – £42.6m
New No7 Neto left Wolves for Chelsea this summer in a £54m but was given a warm reception by the home fans when he got off the bus on his return.
It meant Maresca opted for skipper Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo in midfield – with the ex-Brighton man dropping into a deeper role to fill the Lavia’s spot.
Noni Madueke started on the right – following his X-rated assessment of Wolverhampton on social media – with Mykhailo Mudryk on the left.
Cole Palmer supported striker Nicolas Jackson – meaning Christopher Nkunku dropped to the bench.
Maresca stuck with a back four of Malo Gusto, Wesley Fofana, Levi Colwill and Marc Cucurella in front of goalkeeper Robert Sanchez.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
