Enzo Maresca confirms Chelsea midfield star will miss Barcelona game after freak injury | OneFootball

FC Barcelona have had their share of injury troubles since the start of the 2025–26 season. However, Hansi Flick is slowly but surely recovering his star players one after another and will hope to keep them fit for a sustained period.

The Catalan club is soon set to travel to London to face Chelsea in the Champions League. Ahead of the game, Hansi Flick is still not sure whether Pedri will make the trip to England.

Chelsea, meanwhile, have received a significant blow ahead of the match. According to Enzo Maresca, who was speaking to the media, as quoted by Mundo Deportivo, before the league game against Burnley, Cole Palmer will not be available for the clash with Barcelona after suffering a freak domestic injury.

“He will probably not be available tomorrow, nor for the match against Barcelona, nor for the one against Arsenal. Unfortunately, he had an accident at home where he hurt a toe, but it’s nothing serious, although he won’t be back next week.”

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Palmer has been missing from action at Chelsea for some time after suffering a groin injury. Despite his absence, the Blues have continued to perform at a high level, with Joao Pedro playing as the No. 10 in big games.

The Englishman is one of Enzo Maresca’s most important players when fit. He is their talisman and leads with his performances on the pitch. The Manchester City academy graduate is a player who thrives on the big occasion.

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Despite not being involved for a while, his absence is a significant psychological boost for FC Barcelona. However, if Pedri is also not involved, that evens the scales a little, and we will have to wait and see how things play out at Stamford Bridge.