How Romeo Lavia recovered from difficult first Chelsea season – and is ready to make his mark

The goal demonstrated how Romeo Lavia's dedication to using a VR headset for several months is finally paying dividends.

In a pre-season friendly match on Saturday night, Chelsea was losing 4-1 against Manchester City. Lesley Ugochukwu passed the ball to Lavia, who was 30 yards away from his own goal. Despite the pressure from Jacob Wright, Lavia managed to make a great pass using his right foot, sending the ball 50 yards ahead for Noni Madueke to score.

This is the standard that fans anticipate from a player who consistently performs well. However, this was Lavia's initial full 90-minute game since he last played for Southampton against Fulham at home in May 2023.

It has been a lot of hard work for Lavia to reach this stage. Last summer, Chelsea outbid Liverpool to secure his services for a starting fee of £53 million ($67.5 million). The midfielder was recovering from a minor injury sustained during his time at Southampton when he joined the team. Just as he was close to making his debut for Chelsea, he suffered an ankle injury during training which sidelined him for an additional three months.

Chelsea supporters were excited to finally witness Lavia play during the match against Crystal Palace on December 27. However, their excitement quickly turned to disappointment as the player sustained a severe thigh injury to his opposite leg shortly after coming on as a substitute. This unfortunate turn of events meant that Lavia's debut season with Chelsea only consisted of 32 minutes of playing time.

Lavia played in the previous season against Crystal Palace (Glyn Kirk/AFP via Getty Images)

There has been extensive exercise and conditioning over numerous weeks to regain fitness. Lavia had the option to play again before the previous season ended, but both the club and player agreed it was best not to risk it just for a few games.

In March, it was revealed by Chelsea that the 20-year-old player would not be playing for the rest of the season. Many believed this meant he had faced another serious problem. However, the announcement was actually made to relieve the pressure on him. Constantly being asked when he would return, whether by fans online, strangers he met, or even his acquaintances on the phone, had become mentally exhausting. Going public with the decision put an end to the inquiries, allowing him to concentrate solely on getting back to his best in the upcoming 2024-25 season.

As per individuals with knowledge of the situation, who have requested anonymity for privacy reasons, Lavia engaged in intense training sessions to improve his skills. Additionally, he brought along a staff member for a supposed vacation to adhere to his fitness regimen, but his dedication to training goes beyond that.

In order to be ready for the fast pace of the game right from the start, Lavia has been using a VR headset regularly. This has helped him simulate situations he may encounter during a match. He has been using the headset to prepare for quickly scanning the field to locate his teammates and opponents and plan his next actions accordingly. Madueke reaped the rewards of this preparation over the weekend.

Experiencing a season filled with injuries after a significant transfer could have been emotionally challenging, especially following a transfer saga involving two prominent Premier League clubs. Liverpool fans did not show much sympathy after he rejected a move to Anfield. Those close to Lavia have mentioned that he is trying to see his setbacks in a positive light. He has shared with his friends that even if he spends one year on the sidelines at Stamford Bridge, he still has 90% of his Chelsea career ahead of him to make a significant difference.

He believes that the disappointment of last season is only a tiny part of what could potentially be a very successful time.

Some players may feel discouraged when they have to train separately from the main group, feeling even more alone. However, Lavia was different. He fully involved himself in the club, even going as far as attending under-21 games at Kingsmeadow to show his support for the young players.

Lavia's eagerness to participate has made a strong impression on the Chelsea staff, and as a result, he has been invited to speak to academy players. He has embraced this opportunity to share his journey of progressing through the ranks at clubs like Manchester City and Southampton.

At this stage, it's still the beginning and the immediate goal is to help Lavia prove himself as a key player on the team. However, due to his strong character, Chelsea sees potential for him to take on a leadership role in the future. This could mean becoming captain or vice-captain, or being given important responsibilities as a key figure in the squad. It may be in the distance, but it shows how Lavia has already left a mark without even playing a game.

Lavia has already performed for City's under-21s under the guidance of head coach Enzo Maresca. There is a belief that he will be very valuable this season because the team's style of play fits him well. During the U.S. tour, Lavia demonstrated his ability to connect the play, make quick passes, and adapt to the fast pace of the game. Alongside Christopher Nkunku, he has been one of the standout players of pre-season.

The player from Belgium was one of just three players who played in all five games during Chelsea's tour of the United States. However, in the final match, he got a reminder of the competition he faces. The quick movements of the Real Madrid players showed him the level he needs to strive for.

Despite this, Maresca is happy with Romeo's progress. He expressed regret that Romeo has been sidelined for an extended period but remains confident in his abilities. Maresca has previously worked with Romeo during their time at City and has a good understanding of his skills and potential.

Lavia assured fans that the delay would be justified when he announced on social media in March that his debut season with Chelsea had come to an end. Now, he is starting to demonstrate why their trust might pay off.

First image: Photo courtesy of Chelsea FC by Darren Walsh.

Simon Johnson has been working as a sports journalist for most of his career, starting in 2000. He has focused on covering Chelsea, first for Hayters and later for the London Evening Standard. This involved attending all of the team's matches, both at home and away, including their successful Champions League campaign in 2012. In addition to his coverage of Chelsea, Simon has also reported on the England national team from 2008 to 2019. He has been a frequent guest on talkSPORT radio for more than ten years. For more updates from Simon, follow him on Twitter @SJohnsonSport.