Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has confirmed the Blues will be without talisman Cole Palmer for another six weeks as he continues to nurse a groin injury.
Having already been sidelined twice by the same issue this season, Palmer was rested by Maresca towards the end of September, with the boss hopeful a spell on the sidelines would prevent a serious issue.
Maresca previously claimed Palmer would be back after the international break, but it was recently revealed that his absence could extend into November and it now appears as though Chelsea fans could be fortunate to see Palmer back in action before December.
“I was wrong,” Maresca admitted. “Unfortunately he needs to be out for six more weeks. We try to protect Cole as much as we can. The most important thing is when he comes back, he is fully fit.
“The medical staff are not magicians. We hope six weeks are enough. We need to see it step by step. For sure, he’s going to be O.K. He looks relaxed. He has tried to recover from the injury and doing all the therapy.”
The Games Cole Palmer Could Miss for Chelsea
A six-week absence for Palmer would extend into early December, meaning the 23-year-old stands to miss at least 10 more matches across all competitions.
Saturday’s trip to Nottingham Forest will kick off the new spell without Palmer, who will also miss games against Ajax, Sunderland and the Carabao Cup fourth-round meeting with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Early November brings a Champions League game against Qarabağ and a Premier League outing with Wolves before the international break, after which Palmer’s absence could be sorely felt as Chelsea head into a brutal run of fixtures.
Following the visit to Burnley on Nov. 22, Chelsea welcome Barcelona to Stamford Bridge three days later and then host a blockbuster affair against rivals Arsenal before the end of the month—a potential return date for Palmer if he manages to recover ahead of schedule.
“First of all, to replace Cole, it’s difficult,” Maresca confessed. “Cole is a very important player for us, one of the best in the league. The ones we have, in Cole’s position against Liverpool was Malo Gusto. The game vs. Benfica was Facundo [Buonanotte]. It depends on the game plan we have. We don’t have another player like Cole. Cole is unique.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Enzo Maresca Confirms Devastating New Cole Palmer Injury Timeline.