Chelsea Suffers Fresh Injury Crisis Before Crucial Champions League Clash
Enzo Maresca has revealed that Pedro Neto will miss Chelsea's journey to Azerbaijan after the winger picked up a "minor problem."
Neto was substituted in the 85th minute during Chelsea's 1-0 victory against Tottenham Hotspur over the weekend following what looked like a calf problem. The Portuguese player subsequently sat out training sessions at Cobham before the Blues' Champions League encounter with Qarabağ.
On Tuesday afternoon, Maresca announced that Neto would be excluded from the European match as a safety precaution.
"[It's] nothing serious, just a minor concern. We want to safeguard him," Maresca stated during his pre-match media briefing. "He won't be participating in tomorrow's match."
Chelsea must face Qarabağ without the attacker, who becomes another addition to the injury list alongside Cole Palmer, Levi Colwill, Dário Essugo and Benoît Badiashile.
Maresca didn't clarify if Neto would be ready for Chelsea's upcoming match against Wolves this weekend, although the Blues remain strong favorites to secure victory against the bottom-placed team regardless of the 25-year-old's participation.
Maresca Gives Fitness Updates on Palmer, Badiashile
Maresca also shared news about Palmer's condition on Tuesday afternoon. The England star has been sidelined with a persistent groin problem, missing the past five weeks of matches.
"We're taking it one day at a time with Cole," the Italian coach explained. "He's not participating in any team training sessions.
"I'd be delighted to have Cole available tomorrow and for every fixture. Sadly he's hurt but certainly, we're eager for his quick return."
Palmer's last appearance for Chelsea came in their 2-1 loss to Manchester United on Sept. 20. The attacking midfielder isn't anticipated to return until the end of November.
The positive development for the Blues is that Badiashile will be "ready following the international break," according to Maresca. The defender had only featured in three games this season before suffering a muscle injury during the Liverpool match on Oct. 4.