"Palmer made his first Chelsea appearance since mid-September when he started against Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday. He managed 58 minutes in that match, having a single on-target shot and creating one chance for his team-mates, though only Enzo Fernandez (29) played more passes in the final third than Palmer (23). However, Maresca noted the importance of managing Palmer's minutes as they continue to get him back to full match fitness. "Cole, it's part of his process at the moment," Maresca said on Palmer's exclusion from the travelling squad. "He is not available; he can't play two games in three days, so we planned this, and it's a way to protect him.""
""Liam, fortunately, is not any fracture, so that is good news," Maresca said. "Liam is an important player for us because we know that he needs to play games to get fit and better and better. "I think that now he was a bit better compared to when he was back from injury, but now, unfortunately, he's again out, and we're going to try to find a solution.""
Cole Palmer returned to Chelsea's starting lineup against Bournemouth for the first time since mid-September, playing 58 minutes, registering one shot on target and creating one chance while completing 23 final-third passes. Manager Enzo Maresca excluded Palmer from the travelling squad for the Atalanta Champions League match to manage his minutes and accelerate a gradual return to full match fitness, saying Palmer cannot play two games in three days. Liam Delap suffered a shoulder injury in the Bournemouth match, which is not a fracture, and his recovery timeline remains uncertain as the club seeks solutions. Chelsea face their third straight away game and mark a 100th away match in the European Cup/Champions League amid a four-game winless away run in the competition.
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