TL;DR
- Cole Palmer sustained a fractured toe at home, ruling him out of Chelsea's matches.
- He will miss critical games against Barcelona in the Champions League and Arsenal.
- Palmer had recently recovered from a groin injury before this new setback.
- Manager Enzo Maresca expects Palmer to return to fitness soon, with a special boot aiding recovery.
Ouch.
Cole Palmer had only just recovered from a groin injury when the news took a turn for the worse for the Chelsea star this week.
He sustained an injury away from the team's premises, which affects his ability to play in two critical matchups.
Chelsea plays Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday, then Arsenal in the Premier League on the weekend.
Palmer isn't expected to take part in either.
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What's the reason Cole Palmer isn't in the lineup today?
Palmer won't be participating in Tuesday's match for Chelsea against Barcelona due to a recent, unfortunate, and freak injury sustained at his residence.
He fractured his toe in an accident at home.
Chelsea designed a special boot for his left foot to aid his return to fitness.
"We don't know when, but for sure it will be soon," manager Enzo Maresca said in a news conference on Monday. "He's already on the pitch, he's already touching the ball and the feeling is good."
Palmer has been out since September, when he was subbed off against Manchester United after hurting his groin.
The groin injury was expected to keep Palmer out until late November or early December.
Now, he's added a bit of an obstacle, but it sounds like he'll be back soon.
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