Chelsea’s 3-0 victory over West Ham United at the London Stadium on Saturday was briefly overshadowed by concerns over the early substitution of French defender Wesley Fofana, who started at right-back in the game.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca was quick to address speculation about Fofana’s condition, offering reassurance to anxious Chelsea supporters.
“No, no, no (it’s nothing serious). The reason we changed him was to try and protect him a little.”
Maresca detailed the tactical reasoning behind the substitution, revealing that West Ham had moved Mohamed Kudus to Fofana’s side in the second half, potentially exposing the defender to greater risk.
The sight of Fofana after the match with ice packs and heavy bandages on his left knee initially raised concerns given his history of health issues, including a recent anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Despite facing significant injury challenges since his £70m move to Chelsea in August 2022, Fofana has shown remarkable resilience. The defender returned to full fitness during pre-season and has featured in all five of Chelsea’s Premier League games under Maresca this season.
Maresca was impressed with Fofana’s recent performances, saying:
“Wes is a player that I really love and we love Wes because he’s done great after a year of injury. It’s not easy for any player to miss a year, but he’s done great and that’s all we can ask for from him.”
Maresca’s decision to start Fofana at right-back was influenced by Chelsea’s current injury situation, with regular right-backs Reece James and Malogst sidelined, forcing the Italian to adjust his defensive line-up to weather these difficult times.
Chelsea face a busy schedule ahead, with the Carabao Cup, Premier League and European Championship fixtures coming up. The Blues host Barrow in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday, followed by home games against Brighton, Gent and Nottingham Forest.
Despite Fofana’s minor trouble, the mood remained upbeat in the Chelsea camp following their comprehensive win over West Ham. Nicholas Jackson’s two first-half goals and the assist for Cole Palmer’s goal highlighted an impressive team performance and Maresca was pleased with both the result and the clean sheet.
