Chelsea head into the international break sweating over two more first-team stars.

With Cole Palmer still sidelined for the foreseeable, vice-captain Enzo Fernandez and forward Joao Pedro asked to be substituted during the win over Wolves.

It is an ongoing concern for Joao Pedro, who has been nursing a groin injury for a number of weeks. Meanwhile, Romeo Lavia looks set for another spell on the sidelines.

Here is all the latest Chelsea injury news and potential return dates...

Enzo Fernandez

Enzo Fernandez has ruled himself out of international duty with Argentina this month after asking to be substituted for Chelsea due to a knee injury.

In what is a fresh injury blow for the Blues, Fernandez asked to be substituted late on and was duly replaced by Andrey Santos in Saturday’s 3-0 win over Wolves.

Speaking after the game, he admitted he had been dealing with a “problem with my knee in the last four months”.

Argentina had only one game scheduled for this month: a friendly against Angola on November 14. But the midfielder has now ruled him out and is expected to be assessed at Chelsea’s Cobham training ground.

“I will not be available with Argentina,” Fernandez said. “I was just talking to the medical team because I had a problem with my knee in the last 4 months.

“I came with a bone edema that got worse in the last weeks and months because we played a lot of games.

“I think the most important thing is coming to the end of the season and I think it’s good to make this decision together. Always respecting the doctors and everything.”

Potential return date:* Unknown*

Niggle: Joao Pedro (AFP via Getty Images)

Joao Pedro

Joao Pedro’s ongoing troublesome groin injury saw the Blues forward asked to be replaced during the win over Wolves.

Maresca revealed last month that the summer signing has been nursing a groin problem, which was also preventing him from fully training with the squad.

Speaking after the game, Maresca said Joao Pedro will be assessed along with Enzo Fernandez and the returning Pedro Neto after all three asked to be substituted.

“Joao Pedro, [Pedro] Neto and Enzo [Fernandez], they asked for a change,” the Blues boss told reporters.

“Because Pedro had a problem with his groin. And Enzo had a problem with his knee. So we need to see how they are now.”

Potential return date:* Unknown*

Romeo Lavia

Romeo Lavia last week lasted just five minutes of Chelsea’s 2-2 draw with Azerbaijani side Qarabag before being withdrawn with a quad injury.

He went down off the ball clutching his thigh after winning a duel with Leandro Andrade, who later opened the scoring.

After receiving treatment on pitch, he was promptly withdrawn, and cut a frustrated figure as he went straight down the tunnel to the dressing rooms for further medical assessment.

Lavia has now been ruled out for at least a month.

It is yet another blow for the young Belgian, who has appeared in just 30 of the 130 competitive matches Chelsea have played since he arrived from Southampton in 2023.

***Potential return date: ***Unknown

Absent: Chelsea have missed Cole Palmer’s creativity (Chelsea FC via Getty Images)

Cole Palmer

Chelsea’s talisman Cole Palmer has made just four appearances in all competitions this season as he deals with a niggling groin injury.

Unfortunately for the Blues, he is not expected to return for a matter of weeks.

Maresca had initially forecast a return to play after the October international break, but refreshed that prediction this month, saying he is unlikely to return before December.

“I was wrong. Unfortunately, he needs to be out probably six more weeks,” Maresca said.

“Yes, absolutely [he still doesn’t need surgery]. We try just to protect Cole as much as we can and the most important thing is that.

“Unfortunately, the medical staff, they are not magicians, they never know that you probably need six weeks. We hope that six weeks, they are enough, but it’s a problem that we need to see step by step, week after week, but for sure he’s going to be okay.

“He looks very good, to be honest, he looks relaxed. He’s trying to recover from the injury, he’s doing all the therapy that he needs to do, so he looks good.”

***Potential return date: ***December

Benoit Badiashile

Benoit Badiashile has been in and out of the squad this season.

He missed early matches after picking up an injury at the Club World Cup before impressing on return against Benfica, but is now sidelined once again.

Speaking in October, Maresca said: “Benoit will be out until December, injury again.

“A muscle problem. He was doing fantastic, he showed all of this, he showed how he needed, and we’re going to wait for him.”

***Potential return date: ***December

Slow start: Dario Essugo was injured shortly after signing with Chelsea (Chelsea FC via Getty Images)

Dario Essugo

Dario Essugo suffered a thigh injury while on international duty with portugal’s Under-21s in September, and was forced to undergo surgery.

No official timeframe has been given for his return to play, though reports suggest he will be back in action around January.

Potential return date:* January 2026*

Levi Colwill

Levi Colwill will miss most of the season after rupturing his ACL in pre-season. He underwent surgery in early August and is now in recovery.

Potential return date:* Summer 2026*

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