Maresca’s Palmer Update: Chelsea's Next Moves After Barça Clash and the Arsenal Test

Palmer Injury Update and Return Timeline

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca confirmed on Monday that Cole Palmer, the club’s 23‑year‑old striker, is close to returning but will miss the upcoming Barcelona game in the Champions League, which will be followed by a Premier League clash with Arsenal.

Chelsea and Barcelona meet on Tuesday at Stamford Bridge in the fifth round of the Champions League group stage, before facing Arsenal early next week in the league’s Round 13.

Palmer, who suffered a thigh injury in August, had been inching back to fitness and even scored in consecutive matches against Brentford and Bayern Munich, but a minor home accident delayed his comeback.

Palmer, who fractured a toe after bumping into a door at night, remains in a protective boot. Maresca said there is no definite return date yet, but Palmer is expected to be back soon.

“He has started training with the ball and is feeling better,” Maresca added, though he cautioned that these two fixtures—Barca and Arsenal—might come too soon for Palmer.

Chelsea sit on 23 points from 12 league games, currently second in the table behind leaders Arsenal by six points.

Maesca stressed that every match still matters and that the focus remains on the Barcelona fixture, followed by the Arsenal game for different reasons, insisting that each game should be treated on its own merits.

Barça sit second in La Liga, just one point behind Real Madrid. Lamine Yamal, who sits second in the league’s assists chart with six, also poses a significant threat for Chelsea.

On Barcelona’s attacking prowess, Maresca said: “Lewandowski is a wonderful player who has proven throughout his career that scoring goals is the main job in football. We will defend as a unit, stay aggressive, and always defend well.”

He added: “They have many superb players—Lamine Yamal, Fermin Lopez, and Frenkie de Jong among them.”

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Match officials

The European governing body UEFA announced on Sunday that Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic will take charge of the Chelsea–Barcelona clash. Vincic, 45, is among Europe’s more experienced referees and has previously overseen Barcelona matches, including a win and a loss for the Catalans in different incidents, as well as Chelsea’s victory in another fixture. He has also handled major European ties, such as Arsenal vs. Paris Saint‑Germain in the previous season’s semifinals.

Barca and Chelsea are level on seven points after four rounds of the group stage. Barca defeated Newcastle and Olympiakos, but lost to Paris Saint‑Germain and drew with Club Brugge, while Chelsea beat Benfica and Ajax, lost to Bayern Munich, and drew with Qarabag.

Barça prepared for the clash with a resounding 4‑0 league win over Athletic Bilbao as their Camp Nou stadium opened in a celebratory night that blended nostalgia with a modern revival. Chelsea meanwhile secured a comfortable 2‑0 Premier League win over Burnley as they ironed out details ahead of the showdown.

Barcelona’s return to Camp Nou, after more than two years, was marked by a gala atmosphere and a dramatic improvement in the stadium’s presentation. The matchline made clear that Barça began the new era with a convincing league win, while Chelsea’s performance confirmed their readiness for a stern European test ahead of a busy schedule.

In the goal details for Barca’s big win, Lewandowski scored early, with Ferran Torres grabbing a brace around halftime (45 and 90 minutes), and Fermín López adding a fourth in the late stages.

Two punchlines to wrap it up: 1) If patience is a virtue, Palmer must be saintly by now—his comeback is coming with a warranty that still expires at the end of this season. 2) As for the rest of us, let’s hope the ball chooses Chelsea’s feet more often than my internet when I try to watch highlights—smooth as a pass, occasionally as chaotic as my fantasy draft.”