The Real Reason Cole Palmer Sits Out Chelsea's Showdown Against Juventus

A noticeably "disappointed" Cole Palmer admitted he was dealing with a "slight issue" that kept him off even the substitutes' bench during Chelsea's preseason friendly against Juventus on Wednesday.

As one of the select few players exempt from World Cup commitments, the influential attacking midfielder had featured in Chelsea's opening two fixtures under Xabi Alonso. After entering as a substitute in the high-scoring encounter against Western Sydney Wanderers, Palmer was named in the starting lineup for last Saturday's loss to Tottenham Hotspur.

The 24-year-old played 80 minutes in that game but was deemed insufficiently fit to feature for even a moment in the match against Juventus at Kai Tak Sports Park.

"I am obviously disappointed not to play due to a slight issue," Palmer told reporters gathered inside the stadium, as cited by BBC Sport's Nizaar Kinsella, "but I love Hong Kong and this amazing support. The stadium and fans are amazing and it should be a good night."

While Palmer's characterization of the problem sounds reassuringly minor, any physical concern raises alarm given his recent history with fitness issues.

Chelsea vs. Juventus Match Summary

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Cole Palmer's Ongoing Injury Struggles

Palmer endured a frustrating cycle of fitness problems throughout last season. The England international who was left out of the World Cup squad started just 29 matches for Chelsea while missing 26 through injury. Five of his 10 Premier League goals came from the spot, as he approached games cautiously due to a persistent groin complaint that refused to fully clear up.

Spain's World Cup-winning pair Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams both notably dealt with the same condition — pubalgia — a stubborn muscular ailment that cannot always be resolved through rest alone. "I've never been injured like this before," Palmer told The Guardian at the conclusion of last season.

"I'm sat there on the side for over three months. I came back in early December, Leeds away. I came on for 30 minutes, and I couldn't even sprint. I could just about pass it. I couldn't play long balls, couldn't even shoot. But I wanted to play so much. I was trying to play and it was just too strange."

Although being left out of England's World Cup squad was a personal disappointment, it gave his body the recovery time required to overcome the problem. "It was a bad season personally with injuries and stuff but I feel good now," Palmer said last week. "The seven weeks obviously helped. I'm ready to go again."

Regrettably, he wasn't quite ready enough to face Juve.

2025–26 Cole Palmer Injuries