I'm worried about Lavia — Pochettino

Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino expressed his concern over Romeo Lavia’s physical condition after the 19-year-old felt discomfort following his return from injury.

Lavia joined Chelsea from Southampton in the summer amid competitive interest from other top clubs like Liverpool; however, the Blues had yet to deploy him in action as he sustained an injury until last night in the victory over Crystal Palace.

Following the defeat to Wolves a few days ago, Chelsea returned to winning ways last night thanks to a 2-1 triumph over London rivals Crystal Palace.

Lesser favoured players like Ian Maatsen and Mykhaylo Mudryk got starts, as well as the recently recovered Nkunku. Other fringe players like Madueke also came on, as well as Lavia, as Pochettino flexed his squad depth.

The match against Palace was Lavia’s competitive debut for the club, as he had been nursing an injury, but he put up an adequate performance to see Chelsea through to victory.

The celebrations were, however, tainted as the former Saint felt discomfort after the game, and Chelsea’s coach, Pochettino, expressed worry over the situation.

“I’m a little bit worried about Roméo Lavia,” the Argentine tactician said after the game, per Fabrizio Romano. “He finished with some issues, but I hope it's not a big issue.”

Meanwhile, as Chelsea navigates through a period of transition under Mauricio Pochettino, the Stamford Bridge faithful find themselves in a familiar state of anticipation and concern.

The early stages of Pochettino's tenure have been a mixed bag, with moments of promise shadowed by inconsistent results.

We delved into the reasons why patience could be the best course of action for Chelsea fans. We explored the integral aspects of team building, the nurturing of young talent, and the psychological components of forming a winning team under Pochettino's leadership.