Wesley Fofana's fitness update expresses optimism ahead of Nations League fixtures

Ahead of Chelsea’s much-anticipated Premier League encounter against Liverpool, concerns were raised around Wesley Fofana’s fitness. The Chelsea defender has featured in all the games for the club this season. He was part of the line-up that played against Nottingham Forest, which ended in a 1-1 draw. However, the fans expressed apprehensions over his right shin injury that he picked up earlier this season. As a result, his chances of appearing for France in the Nations League were also under speculation. 

Following the game against Nottingham Forest, Wesley was due to undergo tests on his right shin on Monday evening. In a big boost to both the club and the national side’s ambitions, RMC Sports Journalist has reported that there wasn’t any severe injury detected in the tests. It also means that the 23-year-old is set to feature for the national side for the crucial Nations League fixtures against Israel and Belgium. 

❗️🇫🇷 À la demande de Chelsea, Wesley Fofana va passer des examens Clairefontaine ce lundi soir, pour un coup reçu au tibia droit il y a trois semaines. Sauf mauvaise surprise, il devrait toutefois pouvoir rester avec les Bleus @RMCsport pic.twitter.com/0P4TZHoFQc

— Fabrice Hawkins (@FabriceHawkins) October 7, 2024

Wesley Fofana to miss Chelsea's next clash against Liverpool in Premier League 

However, Wesley Fofana will not be part of Chelsea’s next game against Liverpool on 20th October. Chelsea continues to grapple with yellow card troubles, as both Wesley Fofana and Marc Cucurella were booked during the 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest. It led to a one-match suspension for both the players in the Premier League. 

Despite that, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca remains unfazed, expressing confidence in his larger squad. He emphasized that the squad depth allows for rotation, enabling the team to navigate through this challenging period without compromising performance.

 Highlighting the depth in the team, here’s what he said via the Independent: 

“We have 25 first-team players. All clubs have around that number. I don’t think it’s something just for us. The way we try to do things is to try to share minutes with all of them. The reason is because they deserve it." 

“The ones that played (against Gent) did well and probably deserved (to play) again, but there was another 11 that did a fantastic job against Brighton. We try to use all of them in the best way. When you have an injury or red card, like now we don’t have Wes and Marc, we are going to use some of the guys that today were not in the first 11," he added.

Chelsea has turned things around this season under new manager Enzo Maresca, following a disappointing campaign last year. Despite finishing sixth in the league, just outside the Champions League spots, they also missed out on Europa League qualification due to Manchester United's FA Cup win. 

However, this season has seen a strong start, with the team currently sitting fourth on the Premier League table with 14 points, showing early promise and a renewed sense of form. Chelsea will face Liverpool post the international break on October 20th at Anfield with both looking to solidify their place in the top four.