Romeo Lavia feels 'free' again as injury run ends at Chelsea
Romeo Lavia says he feels "free" again and is ready to "change the narrative" around his Chelsea career.
The 22-year-old Belgian midfielder told BBC Sport his run in the team is the reward for hard work behind the scenes. He has waited long enough.
Lavia has become a regular in the middle of the pitch alongside Chelsea captain Reece James. That is the engine room, the central area where games are won and lost. Chelsea have scored 18 goals in six matches in all competitions with that partnership in place.
It has been a long road back. Lavia made only one appearance in his first season at Chelsea because of a serious hamstring injury, an injury to the muscle at the back of the thigh. He missed 42 games that season and 33 in his second season.
His first year ended early when a setback in his recovery ruled him out for the rest of the 2023-24 season, as reported by Reuters. The comeback was slow. In late September 2024 he was close to a squad return for a match against Brighton & Hove Albion, according to The Athletic. In February 2026 he started for Chelsea Under-21s in a 2-2 draw against Leeds United while building towards full fitness, Chelsea FC confirmed at the time.
Now the numbers are finally moving his way. If he completes 60 minutes against Brentford, he will pass his previous best run of 518 minutes without injury, a total that includes pre-season matches.
Lavia says a simple checklist helps him arrive in the best possible condition for every game. No detail wasted. For a player who has lived through two stop-start seasons, that routine matters.
There is a familiar thread in his story. Lavia and Morgan Rogers both spent time in Manchester City's academy before taking different routes into senior football.
What makes this stand out is how normal it now feels. For two years Lavia was a name Chelsea supporters hoped to see. Now he is a name they expect to see, playing freely and doing the hard running that lets others attack.
