THERE'S NO HOLDING REECE BACK NOW

Qarabag v Chelsea KO 5.45pm

- BY BOBBY VINCENT

REECE JAMES is back to peak fitness and Enzo Maresca insists the Chelsea captain is ready to play three times in a week.

The 25-year-old struggled with persistent muscular problems throughout the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons, missing a whopping 72 games over that two-year period..

James, though, decided to have surgery on a hamstring in December 2023 to try to fix the recurring problem.

Since returning 11 months ago, he has been an ever-present figure under Maresca, though the Chelsea head coach has had to manage his playing time.