Enzo Maresca confirms Romeo Lavia and Benoît Badiashile will miss Chelsea's clash with Brentford

The Blues travel across London looking to extend their unbeaten start to the season before a demanding run of four away matches in three different competitions. A Champions League trip to Bayern Munich follows on Wednesday, meaning Maresca is expected to rotate his squad for the first time since taking charge.

Chelsea's summer spending has bolstered their options, but injuries are already testing their depth. Liam Delap is out until November with a hamstring problem, while teenage midfielder Dario Essugo faces up to three months on the sidelines after undergoing thigh surgery.

The Italian coach has admitted that Lavia and Badiashile are progressing well but are not ready for action. "Both are close, but not available for tomorrow," Maresca said when asked about their chances.

The return of Cole Palmer is a timely boost. The 23-year-old has missed the last two matches after pulling up in the warm-up before Chelsea's victory over West Ham. Palmer did not join up with England during the international break but trained with the squad on Friday and is expected to feature against Brentford.

Maresca must decide whether to start Palmer immediately or keep him fresh for the Bayern clash. With Essugo sidelined, keeping Lavia fit for the long term has become even more important, while Badiashile remains on track with his recovery.

Chelsea have not lost to Brentford in their last three league meetings and will be aiming to maintain momentum before the European test in Munich.

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