Maxence Lacroix injury leaves France and Chelsea facing defensive reshuffle

France and Chelsea will be without Maxence Lacroix after the defender was diagnosed with a tear to the hamstring muscles in his left thigh.

The 26-year-old sustained the injury during Chelsea’s League Cup match against Liverpool on Wednesday. Medical examinations later confirmed the problem, with the defender expected to spend several weeks on the sidelines.

According to French network RMC, Lacroix will miss Chelsea’s Premier League meeting with Manchester United on Saturday. He will also be unavailable for France’s Nations League fixtures against Italy on 12 November and Turkey on 15 November.

His return date has not yet been established, and there are doubts over whether he will play again before the end of the year.

Important role for club and country

Lacroix caught the eye with his performances for Crystal Palace last season before receiving his first France call-up in March 2026. He has since won 11 international caps.

The defender played in three matches at the World Cup held this summer under Didier Deschamps. He then started three of France’s first four games under Zinedine Zidane during the most recent international break, when several established defensive players were absent.

Lacroix moved to Chelsea in July for about 60 million euros and made an encouraging start in London. He quickly became a regular in central defence under manager Xabi Alonso.

His injury therefore creates a fresh selection problem for both Chelsea and France, with the player having become increasingly important to each side and significant international fixtures approaching in November.