“Despite my countless efforts, I will miss the rest of the seasonhe wrote at the end of March, after an ankle injury and then another to the thigh put an end to his hopes of shining since London. It’s been a frustrating season for me, not being able to help my teammates. […] But I can’t wait to return the love the fans have given me and share special moments together.”
The day after this painful message posted on his social networks and while he was still dreaming a few weeks earlier of playing in the Euro with Belgium, the midfielder turned his attention to 2024-2025. With the desire to remain discreet, also by distancing himself from social networks. It is therefore in the shadows that he began his fight to return to his best level and above all to put an end to his physical problems.
And in the meantime, Roméo Lavia is working in the shadows towards the 2024-2025 season.
Step 1: Muscle strengthening
Romeo Lavia himself admits it.My body has let me down many times when I felt like I was doing everything right. Injuries can happen. I would say I was unlucky.”he confided to The Athletic this week. To address his chronic ailments, he therefore had to take more time away from the pressure of having to play.
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My body failed me.
After treating his hamstrings, the former Anderlecht player got to work with his personal fitness trainer, Ronald Kabeya. To do this, he returned to Brussels in April, also to get away from the English media pressure and be closer to his family. For several weeks, the player worked in the gym and did treatment sessions, gradually increasing the intensity. Until he was able to return to the field.
Roméo Lavia this summer in Brussels. ©RK Performance
Roméo Lavia this summer in Brussels. ©RK Performance
Step 2: Individual training
After a restorative vacation in the Dominican Republic with Mario Stroeykens and Diego Moreira Jr, Roméo Lavia was given the green light to move up a gear in mid-June. “I felt he was happy to be there, to be able to play on a fieldsays Nii Okyne, CEO of Drills, a performance center based in Brussels that supports professional players. He was fulfilled with his loved ones, smiling, well surrounded. We felt that he was aware of having something great to accomplish this season. He knows where he wants to go. So he put everything in place to get there.”
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He knew he had something big to accomplish this season.
With Drills and Nii Okyne, the player worked on high-intensity repetition on the field to deal with specific match situations.What we bring to the players is, for example, to create or refine a technical signature. For Romeo, his signature is rather to speed up the game with small combinations then long play, but also to be able to slow down the game and keep the ball. This is what we worked on, having previously analyzed Chelsea’s game to adapt the sessions.”
Step 3: Return to Chelsea
At the beginning of July, the midfielder returned to Cobham, Chelsea’s training center. There, he was able to fine-tune, with the Blues’ staff, the end of his physical preparation before the training camp in the United States. The Belgian flew to California a few days later, with a friendly match against Wrexham on July 25, in Santa Clara. In 45 minutes, he left a very good impression that he confirmed the day after against Celtic, in 67 minutes.
Recovered from his injuries, Romeo Lavia wants to show himself: “My body has let me down”
He then made three more starts: on August 1st against the Mexicans of Club America, then especially on August 3rd against Manchester City and on August 7th against Real Madrid. Probably the two best clubs on the planet at the moment.He is an important player and it is necessary for him to get playing time, to use every training session.commented his coach Enzo Maresca. “After a year without playing minutes, it’s difficult mentally. So playing these games can obviously help.”
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After a year without playing minutes, it’s difficult mentally.
Romeo Lavia on his return to Chelsea. ©ChelseaFCRomeo Lavia on his return to Chelsea. ©ChelseaFC
Step 4: The real start
The preparation ended with a sixth consecutive start, at home against Inter last Sunday. In total, Lavia accumulated more than 370 minutes of play during the preseason, while impressing with his ability to drive the ball and his valuable defensive work. To the point of already applying for a starting place in midfield.
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I’ve played around with this system a bit before, but that was three years ago.
New coach Enzo Maresca appears to be heading towards a 4-2-3-1 formation to start the season. And in that formation, Lavia takes a prominent place, alongside Moises Caicedo and just behind Enzo Fernandez who is expected to play a more attacking role.I’ve played a bit with this system before, but that was three years ago. And the coach added some differences to what I was used to when I played with him.”he explained to The Athleticwhile now ensuring that they feel “at ease” in this device.
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Now it’s time for serious things this Sunday with, in a twist of fate, a clash against Manchester City, the club that allowed him to grow for two years (2020-2022) after his departure from Anderlecht and before his first real professional season with Southampton.Pep Guardiola helped me to get into a lateral position to win the ball and that made all the difference. I was able to take inspiration from most of the players. I trained with Rodri, Fernandinho, De Bruyne, Gundogan, Bernardo Silva”recalled Lavia who begins this Premier League with a big dream: “Nand not miss a single game. That’s all.”
