Chelsea: Enzo Maresca confirms Noni Madueke injury layoff but hopeful of 'big boost' to come

In partnership with

Evening Standard

·21 de febrero de 2025

Chelsea: Enzo Maresca confirms Noni Madueke injury layoff but hopeful of 'big boost' to come

Blues boss hoping for end to fitness woes after the March international break

Setback: Chelsea winger Noni Madueke was injured during the latest defeat by Brighton

OneFootball Videos

Chelsea FC via Getty Images

Your matchday briefing on Chelsea, featuring team news and expert analysis from Malik Ouzia

Sign up

I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.

Chelsea will be without Noni Madueke until April, manager Enzo Maresca has confirmed.

The England winger sustained a hamstring injury during the first half of last week’s dismal 3-0 defeat at Brighton in the Premier League.

Madueke has been assessed by Chelsea’s medical staff this week and reports emerged on Thursday night that he would be sidelined until after the March international break, though with optimism at Stamford Bridge that the issue is not as bad as first feared.

That layoff has now been confirmed by Maresca, who is also not expecting any of his other injured contingent to return in the weeks ahead but has no fresh setbacks to contend with.

The Italian expects the bulk of his absentees back in early April as Chelsea look to arrest a slump that sees them currently sit down in sixth in the Premier League table and out of the FA Cup.

“Fortunately we don’t have any update in terms of the ones that are injured are the same,” Maresca told reporters before Saturday’s trip to Aston Villa. “We don’t have any additions.

“Noni probably will be out until the international break. The rest, Nico [Nicolas Jackson] is out, Wes [Fofana] out, Benoit [Badiashile] out, Romeo [Lavia] out, Marc Guiu out.

“Probably after the break we can have back most of them, almost all of them. That for us can be a big boost.”

The next international break takes place towards the end of March, with former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel taking charge of England for the first time at home against Albania and Latvia in 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

After their visit to Arsenal on March 16, the Blues - who also remain without the provisionally suspended Mykhailo Mudryk - do not play again until April 2, when they host rivals Tottenham in another London derby before then making the short trip to Brentford three days later.