“Maresca drops the word every Chelsea supporter feared most regarding their key player: ‘surgery.’”

This week, there is one subject dominating every Chelsea supporter’s conversations: the fitness struggles of Cole Palmer.

 

Palmer has quickly become the team’s creative heartbeat, and without him, Chelsea appear short of ideas in attack. Unfortunately, the young midfielder has been battling a persistent groin problem that continues to hold him back. Despite this, manager Enzo Maresca has relied on him heavily, often pushing him into games rather than allowing proper recovery. That decision, while born out of desperation to keep Chelsea competitive, is beginning to take its toll—and the consequences could be severe.

 

In his latest press conference, Maresca gave a mixed update on Palmer’s condition. “Cole is probably the only one we really need to assess. Everyone else is just recovering from last week. He pushed himself really hard on Saturday to try and play. He wasn’t at 100%, but he wanted to help his teammates in a big game. It was painful for him, so we had to take him off. We’ll check him day by day before making any decisions,” the manager explained.

 

The problem is that Palmer has been stretched to his limits. He featured in the second half against Brentford, played 97 grueling minutes versus Bayern Munich, and then lasted just 20 minutes against Manchester United before limping off. That sequence of games only highlighted the risks of Maresca’s approach.

 

To make matters worse, the Chelsea boss has now acknowledged that surgery could be on the table for his star player. “The medical staff only mentioned surgery to me today. I don’t know if it will happen in the coming weeks, but honestly, I don’t think so,” Maresca admitted.

 

If Palmer is forced into a lengthy absence, either through surgery or extended rehabilitation, the damage to Chelsea’s season could be significant. Beyond that, Maresca’s insistence on overusing the midfielder despite visible signs of struggle may put his own position under scrutiny. For many fans, this situation feels like a pivotal moment—both for Palmer’s future health and for Maresca’s credibility as Chelsea boss.