Chelsea secured a 2-1 win over West Ham on Monday, but the victory came with a significant setback as striker Marc Guiu may have suffered a long-term injury. The timing is unfortunate, with key FA Cup and Premier League matches against Brighton on the horizon, leaving manager Enzo Maresca with limited attacking options.
Guiu is suspected to have sustained an abductor injury that could sideline him for months. Addressing the situation, Maresca admitted: “Unfortunately, it’s a bad injury. Could be long-term, yeah. We are still waiting, but it doesn’t look like a short injury. Probably weeks or months.”
Adding to Chelsea’s concerns, Nicolas Jackson also picked up a potential hamstring issue during the same match. While not as serious as Guiu’s injury, his availability for the FA Cup clash remains uncertain. “Nico is better,” Maresca explained. “He could play this weekend, but it could be a risk. We’ll see. It doesn’t look like a long injury.”
Guiu, who joined Chelsea from Barcelona last summer for £5 million on a five-year deal, has had limited playing time but has impressed Maresca with his progress. “Marc is improving a lot, to be honest. He is doing fantastic. Day after day, he is more ready for that kind of game,” Maresca said earlier this month.
With Guiu and possibly Jackson unavailable, Chelsea may rely on Christopher Nkunku to lead the attack against Brighton. When asked if he had enough attacking depth, Maresca remained confident: “Yes, absolutely. Before the last game, we had two strikers, Nico and Marc. Sometimes we also adapt Christo [Nkunku] there, but if both are out, we will find another solution.”
Nkunku, recently linked with a potential move away from Stamford Bridge, could now play a crucial role in the upcoming fixtures. Maresca added: “For sure, for sure [Nkunku can play a bigger role]. He played more or less half an hour against West Ham. From now on, he can hopefully get more minutes and help us.”