There is always a sense that Chelsea's 2025 FIFA Club World Cup title will leave some consequences, as fatigue and injuries become the biggest barrier on the journey towards a successful season. But few people expected it to happen so soon.
Just over a week after the campaign started, The Blues had to worry about Cole Palmer's fitness. This important attacking star has not yet recovered from the right groin injury from his tour in the US.
Chelsea will hope the problem is not too serious. But it cannot be denied that they are paying the price for glorious summer days in harsh competition conditions. And if they don't know how to control, it could become a repeat theme throughout the season that Chelsea are expected to reaffirm their position in England and Europe.
More worryingly, this is not a new injury. Palmer has had to endure a groin problem for some time, and Chelsea's FIFA Club World Cup participation and shortened pre-season preparation time have only made the situation worse. The harsh summer tournament that ended late in mid-July may have left a stir.
The most obvious sign was when Palmer was withdrawn from the squad right before the resounding win over West Ham, after the painkiller was no longer effective. Coach Enzo Maresca admitted that the 22-year-old star had to suppress pain right from the opening match of the season against Crystal Palace, where he was criticized for his lackluster performance.
If Palmer is forced to take a long break, the decision to start him from the start of that match will certainly be carefully scrutinized.
"Cole Palmer has not been at 100% of his form for the past 4 to 5 days. He tried to warm up but felt it was not good, so we didn't want to take any risks. We will have to wait and see how serious it is.
The injury was in the groin. In the match against Crystal Palace, he was not at his best but still tried to contribute to the club, fans and teammates. Today, he also tried but it's clearly not good" - the Italian captain said.
Palmer was taken for filming on Tuesday, but it is still unclear when the official results will be released. Chelsea will not return to play until this weekend, in the derby against Fulham. It had been eight days since he was forced to withdraw against West Ham.
According to Chelsea reporter Si Phillips, the striker is at risk of being out for up to 6 weeks. However, there is still optimism that the recovery period will be shorter. Palmer could even return right after the upcoming international break.
One thing is for sure, England will not have Palmer on the call-up list this time. For Chelsea, the international break will give them more time to assess the situation, but the risk of losing a key player in a series of important matches still exists.
If his injury persists, Palmer could miss Premier League games against Brentford, Manchester United and Brighton in September. The Blues are even worried that he will not be able to return for the away trip to defending champions Liverpool on October 4 - a time of less than 6 weeks.
Not only in the Premier League, Palmer also has the possibility of missing Chelsea's first two Champions League games in mid-late September, as well as the third round of the Carabao Cup. This will be a big loss for a player who played an important role in the journey to bring The Blues to the most prestigious playground in Europe.
Although the transfer market is still fluctuating until the deadline of September 1, Chelsea understands that they must find a way to reduce the burden on the player wearing the number 10 shirt.
Palmer's current injury may be a small problem, but given the tight schedule and the lengthening season, the risk of losing him during the important period is always present.
