PALMER RESTED AGAINST GENT

PALMER RESTED AGAINST GENT

Chelsea begin their Conference League campaign today at Stamford Bridge, hosting Belgian side Gent. While it’s uncertain how seriously the Blues will approach the competition, few would argue against them being among the tournament favorites. Given the resources at Enzo Maresca’s disposal, even a rotation policy could see Chelsea field a side stronger than most other participants.

Victory in this competition would be historic for the club, as it would make Chelsea the first team to win all three major UEFA club tournaments. However, Maresca faces the challenge of managing his squad’s fitness amid a demanding season in which Chelsea are expected to go deep in every competition they enter.

For the group stages of the Conference League, Maresca has made a strategic decision to leave out some key players. England international Cole Palmer, along with Wesley Fofana and Romeo Lavia, have all been omitted from the squad list. The decision comes as a part of the club’s strategy to manage player workloads across a grueling campaign.

Both Lavia and Fofana are currently recovering from long-term injuries and have yet to reach full fitness. Palmer, on the other hand, is being rested due to his heavy playing schedule over the last year. The trio’s absence is not expected to be permanent; they could potentially be added to the squad for the knockout stages if Chelsea progress.

“It’s very clear,” Maresca explained last month. “We try to protect the players. Romeo last year struggled to play [due to injury]. Wes Fofana exactly the same. Thinking about giving them minutes in the Premier League, they are not going to also play in the Conference League. We try to protect them.”

The decision to rest Palmer stems from his demanding schedule over the past year. “Cole is more or less the same,” Maresca noted. “He had a very busy last year, from City to here, playing many games, then he didn’t come with us on pre-season because he finished quite late [because of Euro 2024]. We are trying to protect the players and give them the right minutes at the right moment.”

Despite the absence of these key players, Chelsea still possess a squad deep enough to navigate the group stages successfully. With Maresca carefully managing his team’s workload, the Blues will look to start their European campaign on a strong note while keeping their long-term objectives in focus.