Chelsea injury update: Romeo Lavia, Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke latest news and return dates | OneFootball

Blues still missing a number of key players ahead of Copenhagen trip in the Conference League

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

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Chelsea are still battling a lengthy injury list with their Conference League last-16 tie against FC Copenhagen coming up.

Worsening fitness woes have not helped the Blues halt an alarming domestic slump that had seen them win just three of their last 12 matches and lose three in a row before thrashing bottom club Southampton 4-0 in the Premier League on Tuesday night amid fan protests at the club’s ownership.

Maresca’s side have both legs against Copenhagen to come before then, plus top-flight meetings with both Arsenal and Leicester before further London derbies against Tottenham and Brentford after the break.

Ahead of those games, Standard Sport takes a look at all the latest Chelsea injury news and return dates.

Trevoh Chalobah

One Chelsea player who should return before the international break is Chalobah, who was taken off early in the 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa last week with a back problem.

Maresca said he would miss a week or 10 days and he played no part against Southampton at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night as Tosin Adarabioyo joined Levi Colwill at centre-back instead, with the fit-again Wesley Fofana surprisingly among the substitutes.

However, Chalobah should be able to return when Chelsea travel to Denmark to take on Copenhagen in the first leg next week, provided that Maresca strengthens his team after using a mostly second-string outfit during the league phase.

Potential return date: March 6, vs FC Copenhagen (A)

Romeo Lavia

Lavia has struggled to stay fit during his time at Chelsea so far and last played in the 2-2 draw with Bournemouth in mid-January, having suffered another hamstring problem.

Maresca does not expect the Belgian international midfielder back in action before the March international break, meaning he will be looking at the home meeting with rivals Tottenham at the earliest.

Potential return date: April 2, vs Tottenham (H)

Nicolas Jackson

Jackson’s goals in an initially promising second season at Chelsea had dried up before he picked up a hamstring injury early in the second half of the 2-1 win over West Ham in early February.

The Senegal forward was not thought to have done much damage and seemed on track to make a quick return, only for a scan to reveal a larger issue that was expected to keep him sidelined for between six to eight weeks.

Jackson will definitely not be back this side of the March international break and it remains to be seen how quickly after that he can be fit.

Potential return date: April 2, vs Tottenham (H)

Noni Madueke

Madueke is another Chelsea player currently nursing a hamstring injury, having been taken off during the woeful 3-0 league defeat at Brighton on February 14.

There were subsequent reports that he too would not play again until after the international break, though with optimism at Stamford Bridge that the problem was not as bad as first feared. That time frame was later confirmed by Maresca.

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

Potential return date: April 2, vs Tottenham (H)

Benoit Badiashile

The French centre-back has not played for Chelsea since the chaotic 4-3 comeback win at Tottenham in early December after suffering a thigh injury in training.

However, Badiashile has been back taking part in some training at Cobham of late and could soon help to bolster Maresca’s defensive options even further with Fofana now back and Chalobah only a short-term absentee.

Potential return date: Unknown, potentially before the international break

Marc Guiu

Chelsea are also without Jackson’s striker understudy Guiu, who also has a hamstring issue suffered in the same game against West Ham. He is not expected to play again before the international break, meaning he will be unable to continue his impressive scoring run in the Conference League.

Potential return date: April 2, vs Tottenham (H)