Maresca explains when Palmer will be back after his Conference League gamble backfires

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Maresca explains when Palmer will be back after his Conference League gamble backfires

Chelsea’s team sheet for today was bound to be interesting given that manager Enzo Maresca is balancing a few injuries, plus post-Europa League fatigue, and is up against a really strong Arsenal side.

But one thing we didn’t expect was Cole Palmer to be absent from the squad entirely. He’s been struggling for form for the first time in his Chelsea career, but nobody on Earth would be picking their best Blues team without him.

We finally have a pre-kick off update from Maresca which explains Cole’s absence:

“Last week, as we know, he had some problem and unfortunately, yesterday he had a very small problem and we think that probably after the international break he will be ready to be back with us,” the coach has just said to the club’s official website.

It was a risk to play the attacking midfielder in both legs of the Conference League, and while we did get through, it’s come at some cost.

Palmer finally hits breaking point – but it’s not a bad time at all​

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Cole Palmer on his haunches after another game without a goal or assist. (Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC)

Chelsea’s talisman was bound to hit the wall eventually. He basically went from Under 21 football to being a week in week out starter in the Premier League for a year and a half without a break, and it was clearly starting to take its toll physically.

If anything, this is a very convenient time to have him finally break down.

We’re not saying it’s been totally fabricated – if he was fit, he’d be playing, there’s no doubt about that – but given his form and his need for a break, there are worse moments to lose him than before a fortnight of international break which he can now spend resting and getting physically and mentally prepared for what his manager called the “final sprint” to the end of the season.

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