Syndicated reporting provided by Stats Perform and reviewed by the SoccerNews editorial team.
Cole Palmer’s absence from Chelsea’s friendly defeat to Juventus was precautionary after he sustained a minor contact injury, Xabi Alonso has revealed.
Palmer, alongside Levi Colwill, was not part of the Blues squad that faced the Bianconeri in Hong Kong on Wednesday, losing 1-0 after a stunning strike from Edon Zhegrova.
Several other first-teamers were involved, with Joao Pedro, Moises Caicedo, Robert Sanchez, Wesley Fofana and Jamie Gittens named in Alonso’s starting XI, alongside recent arrivals Danny Welbeck, Geovany Quenda and Marco Palestra.
The condition of Palmer and Colwill was a subject of concern following the game, but Alonso looked to reassure fans by insisting neither had serious issues.
“They had some discomfort; Cole with a contact injury and Levi as well,” Alonso told the club’s website.
“It’s not a big thing, but we want to be cautious because there’s no point in risking anything. So, we’ll go step by step, day by day.”
After shining in Chelsea’s Club World Cup triumph last year, Palmer endured another difficult Premier League campaign in 2025-26 as the Blues finished a lowly 10th.
He recorded his worst figures for games played (26), minutes played (1,965), total goal involvements (11), goals (10), assists (one) and open-play goals (five) in a single league campaign for the Blues.
Palmer was pictured taking part in an open training session the day before the Juventus game, though his involvement was restricted.
One player who did appear from the bench was Mykhailo Mudryk, who came on in the 82nd minute for his first appearance in 20 months.
Mudryk had not appeared since a Conference League win over Heidenheim in November 2024, having received a four-year suspension after returning an “adverse finding” for the banned substance meldonium.
The Ukraine international subsequently appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and had his ban overturned, and Alonso was pleased to see him get a positive reception from the Chelsea fans in attendance.
“It was emotional for everyone from the club to see him back,” Alonso said of Mudryk’s return.
“When I told him before the game that he could play 10 or 15 minutes, he was thrilled for sure. It was after such a long period, so it was a great feeling for him and everyone else.
“It was more than a football decision. It was a human and emotional decision to give him this boost, to feel the great support and the reception when he came on the pitch.”
Chelsea have won one and lost two of their pre-season friendlies under Alonso, and they have two more matches to come on their tour of Asia – versus AC Milan in Jakarta and Johor Darul Ta’zim in Malaysia.
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