Liam Duckstein
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has confirmed that Cole Palmer will be sidelined for the next two to three weeks as the club takes a cautious approach to managing his groin injury.
The 23-year-old England international initially picked up the problem last month but returned in style, scoring in back-to-back games against Brentford and Bayern Munich. However, Palmer was forced off during last weekend’s 2-1 defeat at Manchester United, prompting concerns over his fitness.
“Yes, we decided to protect a little bit, Cole. In terms of not letting his injury get worse,” Maresca told reporters ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash with Brighton.
“We decided to rest him for two, three weeks until the international break to see if, with that rest, he can recover 100% and be fit after the break. I don’t think he needs surgery, but it is just to manage the pain in his groin.”
Injury Concerns Mount for Chelsea
Palmer isn’t the only absentee. Tosin Adarabioyo is also unlikely to return before the international break due to a calf problem, while Wesley Fofana suffered a concussion in the midweek League Cup victory over Lincoln City.
The list doesn’t end there: Levi Colwill, Liam Delap, and Dario Essugo are also unavailable, leaving Chelsea with as many as seven or eight players sidelined.
“In this moment, for different reasons, we have problems. We have seven or eight players out. Is this a consequence of last season? I don’t know. We always try to rotate players, but sometimes you’re not able to rotate because you don’t have the right numbers,” Maresca admitted.
Chelsea’s Early-Season Challenge
The Blues have collected eight points from their first five Premier League matches, but their campaign is already being tested by injuries across key positions. With the Club World Cup title still fresh, Chelsea must now navigate a congested schedule without several regular starters.
Fans will be hoping Palmer — who has quickly become one of the team’s most influential players — can return fully fit after the international break, as Chelsea aim to keep pace in the league despite their growing injury list.