Chelsea have received a massive boost ahead of their UEFA Conference League Round of 16 first-leg match against Copenhagen, as defenders Benoît Badiashile and Trevoh Chalobah have been declared fit for selection.
Both players have African heritage: Badiashile is of Congolese descent, while Chalobah was born in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Badiashile has been sidelined since December 2024 due to injury, and Chalobah missed the recent match against Southampton after sustaining an injury in the previous game against Aston Villa.
Their return to fitness comes at a crucial time for Chelsea as they prepare for the European fixture.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca confirmed their readiness during Wednesday’s pre-match press conference.
He stated, “They are both ready. Trev, fortunately for us, was not something serious, so he is ok. Benoit is back and has been training with us in the last ten days, maybe even more.”
Maresca also provided updates on other squad members, mentioning that Wesley Fofana is not in the squad but has returned to training, and Romeo Lavia has started training with the team in the past two days.
He emphasized the importance of having players return from injury for the final stretch of the season, saying, “Slowly, slowly we have all the players back, which is important for the final rush of the season.”
Chelsea topped their league phase and are now focused on advancing to the next round of the Conference League.
However, they face a challenging two-legged tie against Danish side Copenhagen. The return of Badiashile and Chalobah is expected to strengthen the team’s defensive options as they aim for a positive result in the first leg.
