Maresca names two Chelsea players who could return for Barcelona clash | OneFootball

As you’d expect, Cole Palmer’s fitness was a major talking point in today’s Enzo Maresca press conference.

We’ve been without our key player for weeks now, and we’re gradually closing in on the “post November international break” estimate of his return. Maresca was asked whether he was still expecting the attacker to return for that date.

Maresca’s positive words on Palmer and one other

Enzo Maresca speaks to Cole Palmer on the pitch. (Photao by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC)

“We hope [against Barcelona Palmer] can play, but with Cole we try to plan, we try to schedule, you know, at [first],” the Chelsea manager said, careful to manage expectations.

“Then we need to review that. So in this moment we go day by day with Cole. He’s not taking any session with the team. And we have Benoit Badiashile that probably can be available after the international break and that is for us is huge news.”

We know Maresca really is a big Badiashile fan, so he’s not just mentioning him to distract from any Palmer updates. Once the Frenchman is back in defence, assuming Wesley Fofana can stay fit, we’re really looking pretty healthy back there for the first time all season.

As for Palmer further forward, we’re in no rush. Barcelona is still 3 weeks away and a lot can happen in that time.

In other news…

In the same press conference, Andrey Santos also spoke about Estevao and how he had been helping his teammate Estevao settle in to life in the Premier League.

Enzo Maresca has some difficult decisions to make for the team tomorrow night. He won’t want to start anyone in Baku who also is going to start in the Premier League on Saturday.  We reckon Santos and Estevao both start tomorrow and then are bench options against Wolves.