During his pre-match press conference, Maresca expressed confidence in Lavia's readiness to play, comparing his situation to that of other players who have recently returned from injury, including Wes Fofana and Reece James.

Maresca noted that both Fofana and James have made significant progress in their recoveries, with James now playing without issues.

The Chelsea manager aims to help Lavia reach a similar level of fitness, enabling him to participate in games without problems.