Chelsea’s midfield options are up in the air as they prepare for their Saturday visit to Leicester.

Romeo Lavia, who was expected to contribute, has missed Belgium’s recent matches due to a hamstring issue.

Meanwhile, Moisés Caicedo and Enzo Fernández will be cutting it close, not expected to return to Cobham until 48 hours before the game.

South American Duo in World Cup Qualifiers

Caicedo and Fernández are both involved in World Cup qualifiers for their respective countries—Ecuador and Argentina—playing against Colombia and Peru on Tuesday night.

The matches will stretch into the early hours of Wednesday, UK time, meaning they’ll have to travel back to London before potentially joining Chelsea’s training session on Thursday.

Chelsea Prioritizes Player Welfare

The club has emphasized that the health and well-being of their players come first.

Chelsea’s staff stay in constant communication with the players, their agents, and the national teams during these international breaks to ensure the best possible care.

With the added challenge of time zone differences, a carefully crafted reintegration plan is in place for players returning from international duty.

Lavia’s Fitness Remains Uncertain

As for Lavia, it’s unclear whether he’ll be able to fully participate in training this week.

The midfielder was substituted in Chelsea’s 1-1 draw with Arsenal last Sunday due to the hamstring issue.

Despite this, he joined up with Belgium’s squad but was unable to feature in their Nations League games against Italy and Israel.

Speaking to Belgian media, Lavia mentioned having a “little knock,” but Chelsea remains hopeful he can recover in time for the Leicester match.

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