Chelsea’s Cole Palmer Misses Time Due to Fractured Toe
Chelsea’s Enzo Maresca announced that Cole Palmer has suffered a fractured toe after an incident at home. This injury comes at a critical juncture in the season for the club.
The 23-year-old forward was on the verge of returning from a previous groin injury but will now be sidelined for at least three matches. His absence will be felt in Chelsea’s upcoming fixtures, including their Premier League match against Burnley, a Champions League encounter with Barcelona, and a league match against Arsenal.
Maresca confirmed in a press briefing: “He is definitely unavailable for tomorrow’s match, against Barcelona, and for Arsenal. Unfortunately, he had a domestic accident two days ago and hit his toe. It’s not a severe issue, but he will not be back this week.” He added, “It’s true that it’s fractured. The only certainty is that he won’t be available for this week and next week. These things happen — I’ve experienced my own accidents at home.”
Palmer has not participated in a match since being substituted during Chelsea’s 2-1 loss to Manchester United in September, but he had been close to making his return before this recent injury. “He was very close to coming back,” Maresca commented. “He was almost ready regarding his groin issue, which was great news. Then this small setback occurred, and we hope it’s nothing serious.”
Despite Palmer’s absence, Chelsea has performed well recently, with only two losses across all competitions since his last appearance. The team has climbed to third in the league standings. Maresca dismissed any notion that the team has been better off without their key playmaker. “Our teammates are better when Cole is on the field,” he stated. “I feel more confident when he plays, and everyone wants him on the pitch.” He continued, “When he’s not available, we still have to find solutions. The team has been performing well, but we are certainly at our best with Cole.”
Maresca also provided updates on other players, noting that Benoît Badiashile (muscular issue), Enzo Fernández (knee), and Pedro Neto (groin) will all be ready to face Burnley.
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