Chelsea captain Reece James has been ruled out of Saturday’s Premier League match against Leicester City due to a hamstring injury.
The setback comes just weeks after James returned to action in October, following an earlier injury that kept him out at the start of the season. Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca confirmed the news on Thursday, expressing hope that the issue won’t result in a long-term absence.
“Reece felt something minor in his hamstring, and we don’t want to take any chances this weekend,” Maresca said. “Hopefully, it’s nothing serious, but he’ll need to sit out while we assess further.”
James, 24, has struggled with injuries over the past two seasons, raising concerns about his fitness. Despite this, Maresca remains optimistic that the England international will eventually move past his injury struggles.
Chelsea’s injury woes extend beyond James, with doubts also surrounding the fitness of Romeo Lavia, Malo Gusto, Wesley Fofana, and Jadon Sancho. Cole Palmer and Levi Colwill recently withdrew from England duty due to fitness issues, further compounding the club’s challenges.
This weekend’s fixture marks Maresca’s return to Leicester City, a club he led to Championship promotion last season before joining Chelsea. Reflecting on his time at Leicester, Maresca described it as a “fantastic season” and expressed gratitude for the connections formed with players and staff.
Chelsea fans will be hoping for a swift recovery for James and other key players as the team looks to stabilize its campaign.
