Chelsea’s coach Maresca braced for big week as Palmer ruled out of CL clash against Barcelona

Chelsea forward Cole Palmer is close to returning but will miss the Champions League clash with Barcelona before the top-of-the-table English Premier League showdown against Arsenal, manager Enzo Maresca said on Monday.

Palmer, who suffered a groin injury in August before returning with back-to-back goals against Brentford and Bayern Munich, was nearing his comeback, but an accident at home delayed his return.

The 23-year-old England international stubbed his toe on a door during the night, resulting in a fracture.

“Cole is wearing a (protective) boot,” Maresca told reporters.

“We don’t know when he will be back but for sure it will be soon. He’s already on the pitch, he’s already touching the ball and the feeling (for him) is good.

“I don’t think he will be available for these two games (Barca and Arsenal), but he is doing well.”

Chelsea sit six points behind leaders Arsenal in the league, with 23 points from 12 matches. The sides meet in a London derby at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Maresca, however, was not looking too far ahead, with five-times Champions League winners Barcelona up next.

“It’s a big week, but at the end of this week. We have Leeds away, Bournemouth away, Atalanta away,” the Italian said. “Every game is three points.

“Barcelona tomorrow and Arsenal on Sunday are important for different reasons, but it’s important for us to go game by game.”

LEWANDOWSKI, YAMAL THREAT: Barca, second in LaLiga, bring firepower in abundance to Stamford Bridge, with Robert Lewandowski leading the line. The 37-year-old Polish striker has netted eight goals in La Liga this season, second only to Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe, who has 13.

Barca teenager Lamine Yamal, second in the La Liga assist charts with six, also poses a significant threat.

“For sure he (Lewandowski) is a fantastic player. He has shown all his life that he does the most important thing in football, score goals. We are going to try and defend as a team, be aggressive, like we always defend,” Maresca said.

“But they have so many players; Yamal, Fermin Lopez, Frenkie de Jong.”

Maresca urges Chelsea’s Estevao to ignore Yamal comparisons: Maresca has played down comparisons between rival teenage wingers Estevao and Yamal on the eve of Chelsea’s Champions League clash against Barcelona.

Estevao, 18, has caught the eye since arriving at Stamford Bridge in July, with nine goals for club and country.

Chelsea manager Maresca was asked at his pre-match press conference on Monday whether Spain international Yamal, just three months younger than Estevao, would be a good role model for his player.

But the Italian said the Brazilian was already established at the top level despite his tender years.

“Estevao is already playing at a high level, he is already in the starting eleven with Brazil,” Maresca told reporters. “For sure he is very young, he can do many things better, but we are very happy with him.

“It’s nice for people that love football to watch players like Estevao, like Lamine Yamal, like (Barcelona midfielder) Pedri. This is the beauty of football.”

Maresca said Estevao must shut out the noise.

“He is going to be for sure an important player for this club,” he said. “For the future, no doubt.

“He has to be happy. He has not to think about being better than this player or the other player.

“He has just to be better than himself day by day. Try to work hard, improve.”

Barcelona are 11th in the league phase of Europe’s top club competition with seven points after four matches -- the same number as Chelsea.

Maresca said he had been strongly influenced by the possession-based style of Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona, who were twice champions of Europe during the now Manchester City manager’s time in charge at the Nou Camp between 2008 and 2012.

Agencies