Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has confirmed that midfielder Cole Palmer will be sidelined for another six weeks following a recurring groin injury, admitting that he was wrong about the player’s expected recovery timeline.
Palmer initially sustained the injury in August but made a brief return, scoring against Brentford and Bayern Munich. However, the 22-year-old aggravated the issue during Chelsea’s 2-1 loss to Manchester United in September, forcing the club’s medical team to reassess his condition.
“I was wrong about Palmer. Unfortunately, he needs to be out for six more weeks,” Maresca told reporters on Friday. “We are trying to protect Cole as much as we can. The most important thing is for him to come back fully fit. The medical staff are doing everything possible, but they are not magicians. We hope six weeks will be enough.”
The Italian coach explained that Palmer has remained positive despite the setback, focusing on his therapy and rehabilitation program. “He looks relaxed and determined. He’s been doing all the necessary recovery work, and we’re confident he’ll return stronger,” Maresca added.
The injury means Palmer will miss Chelsea’s upcoming fixtures against Nottingham Forest, Ajax, and Sunderland. His absence adds to the club’s growing injury list, with Benoit Badiashile out until December, Levi Colwill sidelined with an ACL issue, and Moisés Caicedo, Enzo Fernández, and Pedro Neto also struggling for fitness.
Maresca himself will not be on the touchline for Chelsea’s next Premier League game due to a one-match ban and an £8,000 fine imposed after his misconduct in the dramatic stoppage-time win over Liverpool.