Chelsea suffers a major setback as a key player is ruled out for the rest of the season, potentially derailing their title ambitions.

Chelsea’s Premier League title hopes take a hit following Enzo Maresca’s concerning injury update.

The Blues, who face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday, have had an impressive start under Maresca and were seen as Liverpool’s main rivals for the title. However, recent setbacks against Everton, Fulham, and Ipswich Town have left Chelsea 10 points behind league leaders Arne Slot’s team. Currently sitting fourth in the table, they trail Nottingham Forest by two points and Arsenal by four.

Ahead of the Palace clash, Maresca shared troubling news about Wesley Fofana, who has been sidelined with a hamstring injury sustained against Aston Villa. “Unfortunately, he could be out for the season,” Maresca admitted. “Initially, we thought it was less severe, but further tests revealed it was worse than expected.”

Fofana isn’t the only concern, as Maresca confirmed that Benoît Badiashile won’t return until February. He added updates on Reece James and Romeo Lavia, with James ready for limited minutes and Lavia nearing full fitness. Maresca expressed optimism about their recovery, saying, “Reece is back in the squad and could get minutes soon, and Romeo is very close to return

ing.”