Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has offered clarity on the fitness status of attacking midfielder Cole Palmer after he sat out the club's 1-0 pre-season friendly defeat to Juventus on Wednesday, August 5. Regarded as a key figure for the Blues, Palmer has recorded 54 goals and 32 assists in 154 appearances for the organization.
The decision to bench Palmer against Juventus, along with his earlier substitution during a 1-2 loss to Tottenham Hotspur in Sydney on August 1, was described by Alonso as a precautionary measure. During the match against Spurs, where he played for 80 minutes, the midfielder sustained a minor physical impact. Alonso confirmed that there was no need to risk further complications, expressing hope that both Palmer and defender Levi Colwill, who also dealt with minor discomfort, would be available for the upcoming friendly against AC Milan on Saturday, August 8.
Alonso explicitly clarified that Palmer’s current issue is unrelated to the groin injury that impacted his performance throughout the 2025-26 campaign. He described the situation as a simple contact injury resulting from the Tottenham fixture. So it's not that (groin injury). "Ahead of his first season in charge of the club, there has been a lot of chopping and changing in Alonso's Chelsea squad." As the manager prepares for his first season at the helm, the squad has undergone significant changes, including the acquisition of 10 new players, such as the record signing of Morgan Rogers for £117 million, while four players have departed.
In the same match against Juventus at the Kai Tak Stadium in Hong Kong, new signing Danny Welbeck made his debut for the club. The 35-year-old forward, who joined from Brighton & Hove Albion for a reported £5 million on a two-year contract, played the first half of the encounter. Despite the loss, Welbeck expressed satisfaction in getting minutes on the pitch and praised the passionate reception from the fans in Hong Kong. Welbeck is expected to provide depth as a backup to Joao Pedro and is projected to feature primarily in cup competitions for the 2026-27 season. We're going into a tough and relentless Premier League season, so it's good to have these games to get ourselves ready.
In a post-match press-conference, the 44-year-old also revealed defender Levi Colwill's injury status, saying (via Football.london):"Yes, they had a few, not injuries, discomforts.
The Spaniard added:"No, it's a whack, a contact injury that he had against Spurs.
