Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has announced that Cole Palmer will not be back for the Blues anytime soon, indicating that the England international needs more time to recover from his recent injury.
The Italian coach had said before the international break that Palmer was expected to return in early November, but now confirms that the injury appears to be much worse than expected and the player will continue to be absent for the Blues.
Maresca said in the press conference ahead of the Chelsea vs. Nottingham Forest match, “I was wrong to say Palmer would return in early November. The truth is, he needs another six weeks to recover.”
He added, “He won’t undergo any surgery, but we’re just trying to protect him as much as possible. The medical team isn’t magicians. Now we just hope that six weeks will be enough to get him back.”
With his six-week absence, Palmer is certain to miss the Champions League match against Chelsea and Barcelona, scheduled for November 25th, five weeks from now. This is a major blow for Maresca and his team.
Palmer will miss the Premier League matches against Nottingham Forest, Sunderland, Tottenham Hotspur, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Burnley, and Arsenal, as well as the Champions League matches against Ajax, Qarabag, and Barcelona, and the Carabao Cup match against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
If all goes as planned, Palmer should return in early December, specifically for the match against Leeds on December 3rd.
