Star forward’s return from a long-term groin issue is pushed back after a painful accident at home, causing him to miss crucial matches against Barcelona and Arsenal.
In a frustrating twist of fate, Cole Palmer’s long-awaited return to the pitch has been put on hold after the Chelsea star suffered a fractured toe in a freak accident at his home.
The 23-year-old, who has been sidelined for two months with a groin injury, was on the verge of making his comeback. The club had hoped he would be available for Tuesday’s crucial UEFA Champions League clash with Barcelona or next weekend’s high-stakes London derby against Arsenal.
Those plans were shattered on Wednesday night when Palmer stubbed the small toe on his left foot on a door.
Speaking ahead of Chelsea’s Premier League match at Burnley, manager Enzo Maresca confirmed the setback with a tone of sympathy for the unfortunate mishap.
“Unfortunately, he had an accident at home two days ago and he hit his toe,” Maresca said. “It’s nothing important, but for sure, he’s not back next week.”
Maresca sought to downplay the severity of the new injury, emphasizing that Palmer is not in a protective boot and was “walking okay” when he last saw him. The primary issue is the pain of the toe making contact with a football boot.
“He was very close [to a return]. He was almost back after the groin [issue] and that’s very good news,” Maresca added, trying to find a positive spin. “It can happen. I wake up many times during the night to go to the toilet. I hit my head, my legs, my everything, so it can happen.”
Palmer last played for Chelsea in their 2-1 defeat to Manchester United in September, missing 11 matches since. Despite the absence of their talismanic forward, the Blues have coped admirably, winning eight of those games and sitting third in the Premier League, just four points behind leaders Arsenal.
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