Enzo Maresca reveals why Cole Palmer wasn’t involved in Chelsea training and won’t play in Champions League clash with Atalanta
C. Palmer
Chelsea
E. Maresca
Atalanta vs Chelsea
Atalanta
Champions League
Enzo Maresca has revealed why Cole Palmer missed Chelsea’s latest training session and why he won’t play against Atalanta in the Champions League on Tuesday. The 23-year-old has had an injury-hit season but did make his first start since September in the Blues’ goalless draw with Bournemouth last weekend. However, it appears the Club World Cup champions are playing it safe with the playmaker.
Chelsea being careful with Palmer
As the Premier League season enters its fifth month, Palmer has played just six times in all competitions due to various injuries. In late September, before he spent more time on the sidelines, head coach Maresca said he was wary of rushing the England international back to action.
“We need to protect Cole for sure, 100%. Not only Cole in my personal view because as I said now because of the Club World Cup or because we never stop, we need to manage and protect different players,” the Italian said at the time. “The solution with Cole, I don’t know, now we have a meeting with the medical staff and we decide the best solution for him. But it’s also a kind of injury that is not like black and white. It’s an injury that someday you can be better. It’s not that you have pain and tomorrow disappear. Sometimes you can be better, sometimes you can be worse. That’s why we need to manage day by day.”
And ahead of facing the Italian team this week, Maresca is trying to wrap him in cotton wool.
FBL-ENG-CHELSEA-AC MILANAFP
Maresca issues Palmer update
Palmer played the best part of an hour against Bournemouth and after that draw, Maresca said on the ex-Manchester City man: “[He] played half an hour the other day, played one hour today. So now it’s important that he can build the physical condition.”
Then, on Monday, the former Leicester City boss said Liam Delap is out injured and they are taking it easy with Palmer.
He told reporters: “Yeah, Liam fortunately does not have a fracture, so that is good news. And Cole is part of his process in this moment, he’s not available, he can’t play two games in a row in three days. So we’ve planned that, and it’s just a way to protect him.”
