Chelsea captain James suffers new injury setback

Reece James has suffered another hamstring injury and will miss Chelsea‘s trip to face Leicester in the Premier League this weekend, head coach Enzo Maresca said in a news conference on Thursday.

James, 24, has suffered from frequent muscular injuries over the past few seasons and only returned from a five-month layoff in Chelsea’s 2-1 defeat to Liverpool on Oct. 20.

“We have for sure just one injured player, that is Reece. Unfortunately, he felt something small and we don’t want to take any risk for the weekend,” Maresca said

“So it’s only one for sure is the only one for sure that is not available for this weekend. The rest, some of them are better, some of them are still a doubt. We have to see.”

Asked about the exact nature of the injury, Maresca said: “Hamstring. It’s a muscular problem. We don’t want to take, as I said, any risks for this weekend. Hopefully it’s not something long.”

The Chelsea captain played just 482 minutes of first-team football last season as hamstring injuries kept him on the sidelines. He underwent surgery in an attempt to correct the issues in December 2023, before he picked up another hamstring injury during the club’s preseason tour of the United States this summer.

Maresca said on Oct. 18 that he was looking to ease James back into the first-team picture slowly by initially limiting his match time as he felt the player’s body cannot cope with two matches in a week.

Since his return, James started consecutive games against Liverpool, Newcastle, Manchester United and played the last eight minutes of Chelsea’s draw with Arsenal before the international break.

James called the setback “another challenge” but insisted he would be back.

“This message is to the people that understand & have respect for what I’m going through … I appreciate you so much, your support and kind messages go further than you could ever imagine,” James wrote on Instagram.

“I’m doing okay, been better and also been worse. Another challenge ahead accepted. Eventually I’ll come out on top. Against all odds.”>

Saturday’s match at the King Power Stadium represents Maresca’s first return to face the team he led to the Championship title and promotion to the Premier League last season. He was appointed as Chelsea’s new head coach on May 31.

He said he is “excited” to face his old side and still talks to some of his former colleagues at the club.

“I’m excited and thankful, it was a fantastic season. The owner, his family are fantastic people. They care for players, staff, all of the people that work in the club. You can see that,” Maresca said.

“It was a fantastic season because I met good people. There was a fantastic connection between the players and staff, and that is something you have to create to be successful. I’m still in contact with them, it was fantastic.”

Asked if he felt he has become a better coach since leaving Leicester, Maresca said: “To be honest, I work every day to become better. I hope [so] because I like to see things and analyse. We try to improve players but also improve staff. I try to improve every day.

“I don’t know if I’m better or worse, but I’m always curious to see things and study. That’s the only thing I focus on.”

Chelsea are third in the Premier League after 11 matches, nine points behind leaders Liverpool. Leicester are 15th, three points above the relegation zone.