Mauricio Pochettino has confirmed that Roméo Lavia will not be part of Chelsea’s lineup for the Carabao Cup final clash against Liverpool on February 25.
The midfielder has encountered challenges since his move to west London from Southampton for £53 million last summer. An ankle injury shortly after his arrival was followed by a hamstring issue that sidelined him since late December.
Despite joining Chelsea, Lavia has only featured once, playing 32 minutes in the club’s league victory over Crystal Palace on December 27. When asked if Lavia could make an appearance against Liverpool, Pochettino stated in his recent pre-match press conference:
“No. He is not training with the team. He is still recovering. But no, no, impossible. Still not on the pitch.”
Lavia, 20, made 34 appearances for Southampton in the previous season. Before his time with Southampton, he had a stint at Manchester City but only managed two appearances under Pep Guardiola.
