Palmer closer to Chelsea return, still out for Barcelona and Arsenal

Enzo Maresca says that Cole Palmer could return for Chelsea sooner than anticipated, but still does not expect to see him against either Barcelona or Arsenal this week.

Palmer has been sidelined for much of 2025-26 with a groin injury and looked close to returning to action, only to suffer a setback, fracturing his toe in a home accident.

Though he will not have Palmer back in the fold for a big week, Maresca is confident that it will not be long before he is back on the pitch.

"We don't know when, but for sure it will be soon," Maresca said on Monday. "He's already on the pitch, he's already touching the ball, and the feeling is good.

"We are here for tomorrow's game, that is Champions League, and then after that we start to think about Arsenal."

But pushed on whether Palmer could be involved against Arsenal, the Italian added: "I don't think so at the moment."

Chelsea are currently 12th in the Champions League table at the halfway point of the league phase, level on seven points with Barcelona, who sit one place above them.

The Blues have only lost one of their last nine meetings with Barcelona in the Champions League (W2 D6), although that lone defeat did come in their most recent clash (0-3 at the Camp Nou in March 2018).

So far, Chelsea's Estevao has drawn comparisons with Barcelona's Lamine Yamal after his promising start to life at Stamford Bridge.

Estevao is Chelsea's top scorer in the Champions League this season (two goals), scoring in each of his first two starts in the competition. He could become the second-youngest player to score in each of his first three starts (18 years 215 days), after Kylian Mbappe for Monaco in 2017 (18y 113d).

But Maresca was quick to play down those comparisons, saying: "He is going to be an important player for sure for this club, no doubt.

"The most important thing for Estevao is that he has to enjoy fully, he has to be happy, and not think about being better than this player or another player, but only think about himself and try to be a better than himself day by day, try to work hard, improve and for sure he is going to be a top player for this club.

"Estevao is already playing a high level, in the starting eleven already with Brazil. For sure, he is very young. For sure, he can do many things better, but we are very happy with him.

"Now, for me, it's more or less the same thing I said about Pedri: it is nice for people who love football to watch players like Estevao, Lamine Yamal, Pedri – this is the beauty of the football. We are happy Estevao is with us, and for sure he is going to do well."