Chelsea Star Exposes Jaw-Dropping Truth About Cole Palmer's Bizarre Injury Nightmare
Chelsea's Marc Cucurella has suggested that teammate Cole Palmer sustained his toe injury while engaged in gaming activities.
The English attacking midfielder has been absent from action since September due to a persistent groin problem that had already disrupted his participation during the early stages of the current campaign. It was anticipated that Palmer would be available for selection against Barcelona in Tuesday's Champions League fixture, but his comeback has been postponed due to an unforeseen incident.
Enzo Maresca disclosed on Friday that his key player had fractured his toe after striking it against a door. The Chelsea manager refrained from providing specific information, describing it simply as "an accident at home," though Cucurella has offered additional insight into the circumstances.
"Honestly, I'm not certain. He was rushing around because I believe it involved a FIFA video game or something similar," the Spanish international explained this week.
Cucurella expressed similar disbelief to the general public upon learning of Palmer's recent misfortune. "Honestly, I was shocked," the fullback admitted.
"It's accurate that such incidents can occur occasionally. We've experienced these situations a few times before, but I'm more resilient than them so I don't suffer any consequences!
"It's a significant disappointment for our team, because he [Palmer] was close to rejoining us and training with the squad. Now he must recuperate. But it's reality, it's part of football. We maintain personal lives and encounter these types of issues. Hopefully he can heal quickly."
When Will Cole Palmer Be Fit for Chelsea Again?
Maresca could not establish a definitive timeline for Palmer's comeback. There is no possibility of the 23-year-old featuring against Barcelona and the Italian manager dismissed this weekend's significant encounter with Arsenal, though he indicated that his return to complete, first-team preparation "will definitely be soon."
"He is currently on the training ground, already handling the ball, and the sensation is positive," Maresca informed gathered journalists on Monday prior to his team's European meeting with Barcelona.
Without Palmer available, Chelsea have primarily relied upon Enzo Fernández and Cucurella himself for creative output. Moving centrally from his left-back position, the curly-haired Spaniard contributed significantly to the decisive opening goal against Burnley on Saturday afternoon. Indeed, Fernández remains the sole Chelsea player who exceeds Cucurella's total of 14 scoring opportunities created from open play this season.