Wesley Fofana shares honest opinion on Enzo Maresca's Chelsea decision - 'I agree with it'

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Wesley Fofana is being eased back into competitive football after a nightmare couple of years with injuries

Wesley Fofana has offered an insight into his ongoing rehabilitation at Chelsea after his recent struggles with injuries. The centre-back had his 2023-24 campaign ruined by an ACL injury, while last season he barely featured for the Blues due a serious hamstring problem that required surgery.

This season, Fofana has managed to retain his fitness though. He has been part of every Chelsea match day squad and has made five Premier League starts, including the last two games in which the team have kept clean sheets.

In an interview with the Chelsea website, the 24-year-old revealed that he is appreciative of the manner in which head coach Enzo Maresca has gradually eased him back into contention.

“In football it’s hard to take your time because there is a game every three days, but he [Maresca] protects me and he pushes me in a good way,” Fofana said.

“I had hamstring surgery and you need to be careful when you come back. He doesn’t take risks with me because he wants, step by step, for me to be able to play every three days.”

Although Fofana is happy to be taking things slowly in his recovery at the moment, he insisted that he wants to get back to a level where he can play for the team in multiple competitions.

“The target is to play every game; we need to carefully progress step by step towards that,” he said. "He protects me because of the type of player I am: aggressive, fast, not scared to have duels on the pitch. I understand it, and it’s what I feel as well. I agree with it. The most important is to continue to progress."

Chelsea do have serious competition in defence. Trevor Chalobah has played alongside Fofana in the last couple of Premier League games, while Josh Acheampong, Tosin Adarabioyo and Jorrel Hato have also featured this season.

The Blues also have Levi Colwill and Benoit Badiashile sidelined with injuries. Fofana missed out on the recent Club World Cup and Conference League triumphs due to his fitness issues - and now he wants to make up for lost time.

"I want more because I missed out. I am more concentrated on that. I want to feel those experiences and those moments. I am completely focused on that.

"Of course I want to make up for lost time, but you can’t get the time you missed back. It’s part of my life and my story, and it makes me hungrier to win.

"Now it’s important we stay together because it’s a long season as well. We have a lot of competitions to play for, and the objective is to go as far as we can in all of them and fight for everything. And my objective is just to stay with the team, and fight for everything with the team."