Liam Rosenior used Chelsea’s first free midweek of 2026 handy out 4 days of downtime for his squad after the FA Cup win at Hull Metropolis on Friday. However whereas everybody else within the first-team setup loved a mini-break, Romeo Lavia remained at Cobham.
The Belgian, 22, continued working in the direction of his comeback with Lavia now nearing the top of his detailed rehabilitation programme, following Chelsea’s meticulous plan to get their midfielder again on the pitch and hopefully for good this time, because of the assistance of a state-of-the-art know-how that’s being utilized by a few of the world’s greatest.
Lavia’s rested team-mates have been instructed to report again to the coaching floor on Wednesday morning for his or her first full session earlier than dealing with Burnley this Saturday. Some returned earlier on the Tuesday to start doing their very own health work at their base.
Beginning with Burnley, Chelsea have eight video games in three competitions earlier than the March worldwide break and Lavia’s return may be useful, even when he’s eased in initially as the last word objective is to make sure he stays match for the foreseeable future. Lavia has not been seen in a blue shirt for the reason that 2-2 draw at Qarabag in early November, and has solely been match sufficient to play 30 video games for Chelsea since becoming a member of for £58million two-and-a-half years in the past.
Whereas sidelined, nonetheless, there have been methods for Lavia to recollect the texture of the soccer pitch and fine-tune his decision-making from central midfield. That was through digital actuality coaching, with Lavia having invested in an organization referred to as Be Your Finest – an progressive product used to assist gamers privately enhance their ‘scanning’ in video games.
That’s while you see gamers repeatedly turning their heads left and proper to see the total image surrounding them on the pitch, together with because the ball is rolling in the direction of them from a go.
Whereas his Chelsea team-mates loved 4 days off this week, Romeo Lavia was at Cobham finalising his detailed rehabilitation programme
Lavia has been bettering with the assistance of digital actuality having invested in an organization referred to as Be Your Finest – an progressive product used to assist gamers privately enhance their ‘scanning’
The VR headset which gamers like Lavia use to offer them a first-person perspective on a digital pitch
…and an instance of the view that Lavia might need as his decision-making is put to the take a look at
Co-founded by Professor Geir Jordet, Lavia first tried this know-how whereas at Southampton earlier than signing for Chelsea. He was keen on new methods he might attempt to elevate his recreation even whereas injured.
Sporting a VR headset, it locations the participant on the pitch from a first-person perspective, recreating sensible situations with an AI system responding in actual time as you might be assessed on how a lot you scan and the selections you make because the match unfolds.
In line with analysis, legendary Spain and Barcelona midfielder Xavi was the most effective of the most effective at scanning, with Be Your Finest’s chief govt Andreas Olsen telling Confidential: ‘Xavi was referred to as “the Exorcist’s daughter” as a result of he was consistently trying round. The best measurement for him was 0.83 in scan fee, which suggests in 10 seconds, he’ll flip his head to examine his environment eight occasions.
‘Earlier than he will get the ball, he does the “important” scan, which is when the ball is travelling in the direction of you. You will notice examples of this in gamers like Andres Iniesta, Martin Odegaard, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard or Kevin De Bruyne. They are going to do two scans because the ball is travelling to them.
‘They need that remaining image. Lampard’s father stated to him: “Footage! Footage!” It’s vital to not fixate on scanning for the sake of scanning. Scanning is a method to an finish – a software you utilize to make the choice. You’ll be able to practice this, however it’s worthwhile to really feel like you might be on the pitch in a match. That you must really feel the strain is coming and the runs are going. That was the spark (for Be Your Finest).’
Confidential examined it ourselves in London final week to see the way it works – it seems we’re as dangerous at soccer within the digital actuality world as we’re in the true one – and Olsen instructed us it’s utilized in 80 nations by round 10,000 gamers and greater than 100 golf equipment. It’s understood Marc Guehi, Benjamin Sesko, Endrick, Dejan Kulusevski and Odegaard are among the many know-how’s customers.
Olsen had an intriguing story to inform on Odegaard and the way he personally influenced Be Your Finest. The Arsenal captain truly maxed out its settings. He performed it at 100 per cent pace, however requested for a tougher degree to be developed because it started to really feel too comfy.
Designers did as requested, as Olsen defined on Odegaard: ‘He used it when he was injured and his objective was to really feel like, when he got here again on the pitch, that issues would really feel like they have been transferring slower.
Spain and Barcelona legend Xavi is heralded as the best ‘scanner’ of all time
Martin Odegaard additionally makes use of the know-how – and even demanded his personal greater degree as a result of it wasn’t quick sufficient for him!
‘It’s quick while you select 100 per cent, however for him, it began to really feel regular and so he needed extra of a problem. He requested whether or not it was potential to make it much more difficult and put it as much as 120 per cent, and that is why we’ve got that “Odegaard mode”, that additional 20 per cent.
‘The cool factor for us is that it is not only a gimmick for them (skilled gamers). It is truly one thing they use again and again, nearly like a gymnasium membership, however as an alternative of coaching a bodily muscle, they’re coaching the mind.
‘I was a semi-pro participant. I performed for Viking in Norway. One of many issues I skilled, I might nearly name it a way of small nervousness, while you play in opposition to actually good gamers and also you’re nearly fearful of getting the ball as a result of you understand they are going to be on you in a split-second.
‘What it’s worthwhile to do to be efficient as a participant is to know what it’s important to do earlier than you get the ball. Am I going to play the ball again to the participant? Am I going to, with my first contact, play to this participant that’s on the run?
‘Can I flip round on my left-hand facet? Can I flip round on my right-hand facet? Why is that? OK, as a result of I see the strain is approaching the opposite facet. Making these choices actually shortly, that is the objective.’
When Lavia’s impending comeback for Chelsea is full, will probably be value awaiting him turning his head this fashion and that as he prepares to obtain a go in midfield, having lengthy labored on his scanning through his personal affiliated firm whereas sidelined.
Mr and Mr Smith
Lewis Smith will referee his first Premier League recreation of the season in Chelsea versus Burnley this Saturday, having acted as a fourth official in 10 fixtures this time period.
Smith, who has taken cost of 9 top-flight matches beforehand, was promoted by the PGMOL to a supplementary record for the Choose Group 1 firstly of this marketing campaign. His elevation is a part of a imaginative and prescient inside the refereeing physique to offer alternatives to high-performing officers.
Lewis Smith will referee his first Premier League match of the season on Saturday, and followers have been slightly confused by his namesake’s work within the decrease leagues
There was some confusion on social media as Blues followers appeared up Smith’s refereeing file and supposed he had been switching between video games within the Championship and Nationwide League North and South this season.
Nevertheless, we’re instructed there are two referees by the identical title, and Soccerbase appears to have mixed the pair’s appointments.
Verdict nears on 74 prices
Chelsea have been slapped with 74 prices by the FA in September referring to alleged breaches involving funds to brokers between 2009 and 2022 throughout Roman Abramovich’s time as proprietor.
The Blues’ new regime self-reported the monetary irregularities after discovering them whereas doing their due diligence earlier than shopping for the membership.
We’re nonetheless awaiting the conclusion of the costs, although it’s coming, and Confidential has been assured that supporters can anticipate non-sporting sanctions as an final result.
That will imply a effective somewhat than, say, a switch ban or factors deduction.
To Hull and again
Chelsea’s gamers have been closely criticised for supposedly ignoring Hull’s younger mascots as they arrived on the MKM Stadium final week. After all, a type of arriving might have proven some kindness to the children in that second, although they did later meet them earlier than kick-off as standard.
The Blues are often form with mascots, particularly their very own, from my expertise.
For instance, I used to be on the 3-1 Premier League win over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park just a few weeks again when Chelsea’s younger consultant was trying slightly chilly. Reece James noticed this, went out of his method to return into the altering room, and returned with hotter clothes for the lad. So one social media clip shouldn’t paint a complete group as dangerous guys, in my opinion.
Chelsea got here beneath hearth for his or her gamers showing to disregard the Hull Metropolis mascots earlier than final week’s FA Cup tie
When’s Cucu again?
Rosenior has proven a reluctance to put timeframes on his gamers’ returns from harm, so we might want to see how a lot he’s keen to reveal on Cucurella’s hamstring subject at his pre-Burnley press convention on Thursday.
It has been steered Cucurella will face three to 4 weeks on the sidelines after being substituted at half-time within the 2-2 draw with Leeds.
If Cucurella is certainly sidelined for 4 weeks, he would miss these video games: Burnley, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Wrexham and the Champions League last-16 first leg earlier than Newcastle on March 14.
