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Chelsea captain Reece James has been excluded from the squad to face Leicester City in the Premier League on Sunday, with details emerging of his absence. The right-back was on the scoresheet for the Blues in his last appearance, scoring their first goal in a 2-1 win over FC Copenhagen on Thursday.
Accordingly to journalist Ben Jacobs, James picked up a bit of a sickness on the eve of the game against the Foxes. Thus, the coach has decided to leave the 25-year-old out of the squad to avoid having him feature when he's not feeling his best.
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Reece James made his first appearance of the season in a European competition on Thursday and was instrumental to his side's win. The Blues struggled to break down a resolute Copenhagen side before his long-range effort at the start of the second half sent them on their way to an away win.
James has had a tough time with injuries in recent years, with the club taking a conscious decision to manage his workload this season. The England international has already appeared 12 times across all competitions this season, with 10 of those coming in the league.
Enzo Maresca has Malo Gusto out, as well, after the French right-back failed to recover from an ankle problem that forced him off against Copenhagen. In the place of both his right-backs, Wesley Fofana returns to the starting XI for the first time since December, while Genesis Antwi (17) and Josh Acheampong (18) start on the bench.
Chelsea receive boost as Romeo Lavia returns to squad
Chelsea have been boosted by the return of midfielder Romeo Lavia for the Premier League clash against Leicester City. The Blues have the Belgium international in the squad for the first time since December, having been out with a hamstring problem.
Lavia was forced off midway through his side's 4-3 win over Tottenham Hotspur on December 8 and was expected to be out until April. The 21-year-old appears to be ahead of schedule, as Maresca has included him in the squad for the game against the Foxes.
Romeo Lavia has appeared 10 times for the Blues this season in the league, with two more appearances in cup competitions. The former Manchester City youngster has struggled with injuries this season, and will hope to remain fit for his side's final fixtures of the campaign. He was not included in Chelsea's squad for the Conference League in a bid to manage his involvement this season.
