Romeo Lavia says he feels "free" again after finally putting behind him the injury setbacks that disrupted his first two seasons at Chelsea. The 22-year-old Belgian has stayed available throughout pre-season and the opening weeks of the new campaign as he looks to establish himself as a regular fixture under manager Xabi Alonso.
Lavia is closing in on the longest injury-free run of his Chelsea career. Should he play 60 minutes against Brentford on Friday, he will surpass his previous best stretch of 518 minutes, a tally that includes pre-season fixtures. It marks a striking turnaround for a player whose Chelsea career began with a serious hamstring injury that limited him to a single appearance in his first season, followed by a second campaign in which he missed 33 matches through a string of further setbacks. His availability improved last season, when he featured in roughly half of Chelsea's fixtures.
Speaking to BBC Sport, Lavia explained just how much work goes on away from the pitch to keep him fit, describing a detailed checklist he follows to ensure he's in the best possible condition heading into each match. He acknowledged it remains a demanding process, but said things are currently going well.
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Beyond the physical recovery, Lavia has also had to work through the psychological toll of repeated injuries, guarding against becoming overly cautious on the pitch. Alonso reportedly helped him push past a mental barrier around completing full 90-minute matches during a pre-season game against AC Milan in August. Reflecting on that experience, Lavia said he's learned he can always push further than he thinks, particularly in moments when everything seems to be working against him. He admitted it's easy to feel like giving up or to fear that any progress will simply lead back to the same setbacks, but credited teammates, staff and people close to him outside football with helping him build what he described as a kind of bubble, allowing him to focus only on what's within his control.
Lavia has become a consistent presence in Alonso's midfield alongside captain Reece James, with his role growing in importance following Moises Caicedo's limited involvement this season and Enzo Fernandez's £125 million move to Manchester City. Rather than viewing his increased responsibility as added pressure, Lavia said he sees it as a privilege. He described taking on responsibility and showing character as part of his game, adding that he genuinely enjoys being in that position at the club. For Lavia, it's the reward for years of hard work, and he says he's determined to embrace and enjoy the moment rather than let the weight of it hold him back.
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