- Cole Palmer will be notably absent when Chelsea kick off their Conference League campaign against Gent. Palmer was left out of Chelsea’s squad for the league phase of Europe’s third-tier competition.
- Chelsea will be looking to become the first club to win all the UEFA trophies, having previously succeeded in other European competitions.
- Chelsea’s Conference League journey begins on Thursday evening when they host Belgian side Gent at Stamford Bridge. This will mark the first time the two-time Champions League winners are participating in UEFA’s relatively new competition.
Why are Chelsea playing in the Conference League?
The Blues finished sixth in the Premier League last season under Mauricio Pochettino. Normally, this would have secured a Europa League spot, as Liverpool, who won the Carabao Cup, finished in the top four.
However, Chelsea were relegated to the Conference League after eighth-placed Manchester United beat Manchester City to win the FA Cup. Winning the FA Cup grants a spot in Europe’s second-tier competition.
As a result, Chelsea were relegated to the Conference League, where they had to defeat Swiss team Servette in the playoffs to secure their place in the league stage (previously known as the group stage).
Why Cole Palmer was left out of the Conference League squad
However, as Enzo Maresca makes his managerial debut in Europe, he will do so without his key player, Cole Palmer. The Italian head coach chose to leave Palmer out of the squad for the six league phase matches to manage his workload and prevent burnout.
“We played some games without Cole, but sure and for us, Cole is something extra that you need. We also need to think a bit to protect some players. They need that. There is a reason behind it, and I think Cole needs to be protected,” he said as quoted by BeIN Sports.
Palmer has continued this season just as strongly as he ended the last one. So far, he has scored six goals and provided four assists in the Premier League. Chelsea is set to submit a new player list for the knockout phase next year. After facing Gent, the West London club will play Panathinaikos, Noah, Heidenheim, Astana, and Shamrock Rovers.
Madueke’s message to Palmer
At the same time, trendynews.co.ke reported that Noni Madueke sent a playful message to Palmer after he scored four goals against Brighton. Palmer became the first Premier League player to score four goals in the first half of a match.
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