Just 24 hours earlier, Maresca had emphasized the importance of protecting Lavia as he returned to the team after a long period of absence, having joined Chelsea from Southampton in 2023 for £58 million.

Maresca compared Lavia's situation to that of Reece James, who had also struggled with injuries last season.

"The main goal for Romeo is to stay fit," Maresca said. "We need to manage him carefully every day and every minute to help him enjoy football again."

However, Maresca expressed disappointment and shame that Lavia has suffered another injury, which is a setback for the 21-year-old player.

"We feel very sorry for him because he's not been able to stay fit for a long time," Maresca said. "It's a quad injury, not a recurrence of his previous hamstring problem. We'll need to assess him further, but it doesn't look good."

Lavia has struggled with injuries since joining Chelsea, including ankle and hamstring problems, which have limited his playing time and put his position in the team under threat.