Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca reassured fans that Reece James' omission from the FA Cup defeat to Brighton was part of a careful recovery plan. James recently returned from his second hamstring injury of the season and has struggled with fitness, missing over half of the Premier League matches since the 2021/22 season. Maresca emphasized the importance of managing players returning from long-term injuries, highlighting that other players like Romeo Lavia and Wesley Fofana are also being eased back into action. James has made nine appearances across competitions this season and is in the Conference League squad for the remainder of the season.
Maresca insisted James' absence from the defeat was part of a planned recovery process, emphasizing that the captain is training and being protected from further injury.
James has recently returned from hamstring issues and has missed over half of the Premier League campaign since 2021/22, raising concerns about his fitness.
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