Chelsea midfielder Roméo Lavia is fit and available for Saturday’s pre-season friendly against Tottenham Hotspur after recovering from a minor hamstring issue.
Lavia missed Chelsea’s entertaining 6-4 victory over Western Sydney Wanderers on Tuesday after feeling discomfort in his hamstring. Manager Xabi Alonso opted not to risk the 22-year-old, who watched from the sidelines as Chelsea began their Australian tour with a high-scoring win.
However, Alonso has now confirmed that Lavia has returned to training and is available for the London derby against Tottenham at Accor Stadium in Sydney on Saturday, August 1. The midfielder’s return provides a boost for Alonso as Chelsea continue building fitness and experimenting with his tactical system during pre-season.
Lavia’s availability will be particularly welcomed given his difficult injury record since joining Chelsea from Southampton in 2023. The Belgian midfielder has struggled to maintain a consistent run of appearances, making his latest setback another concern for supporters. Reports have noted that the recent hamstring problem was considered minor, with Alonso choosing caution rather than risk aggravating it.
The midfielder was part of Chelsea’s original 27-man squad for the Sydney Super Cup, which also includes Cole Palmer, João Pedro, Estêvão and several other first-team players.
Chelsea and Tottenham will meet at Accor Stadium at 7:45pm local time, with both sides using the fixture to continue preparations for the 2026/27 campaign.
For Alonso, the game offers another opportunity to assess his squad and tactical ideas. Chelsea’s opening friendly showed both the attacking potential and defensive issues still to be addressed, while Lavia’s return gives the new manager another midfield option to work with.
