Chelsea Coach Explains Why Cole Palmer and Levi Colwill Did Not Play

Chelsea head coach Xabi Alonso has explained why the team’s key players Cole Palmer and Levi Colwill missed the friendly against Juventus of Turin. Although the English club suffered a narrow defeat in Hong Kong, attention focused mainly on why the two players were left out of the squad. This was reported by Goal.com reported .

According to information published by the Evening Standard, Chelsea faced Juventus at Kai Tak Stadium on Wednesday and lost the match 1–0. Edon Zhegrova scored the only goal in the second half to give the Italians victory. However, before the match, Xabi Alonso was forced to make changes to the lineup because Cole Palmer and Levi Colwill were left entirely out of the matchday squad.

Injury Risk and Precautionary Measures

The manager allayed fans’ concerns, stressing that the decision was simply a precaution. Both players had featured for 80 minutes in the 2–1 defeat by Tottenham last week. They experienced minor discomfort after that match.

At the post-match press conference, Xabi Alonso clarified the situation. According to him, the players had not suffered serious injuries and were only experiencing pain caused by minor knocks. The coach hoped they would return in time for the next match on Saturday.

«Yes, they had some minor discomfort, not injuries. Both Cole and Levi took a knock. There was no point in taking a risk today, and hopefully they will be fine by Saturday», — Xabi Alonso told reporters.

The Player’s Reaction and New Signings

Meanwhile, Cole Palmer told reporters on the touchline that he was disappointed to miss the match, although he did not hide his satisfaction with the atmosphere and support in Hong Kong. The head coach also firmly denied rumours that Palmer had suffered a recurrence of the knee problem that had troubled him last season.

Alonso stressed that it was simply a contact injury and knock sustained against Tottenham, with no cause for excessive concern. In Palmer and Colwill’s absence, the match against Juventus gave other players and the new arrivals an opportunity to impress.

In particular, Danny Welbeck, who joined Chelsea from Brighton, made his first appearance for the club. The experienced striker is expected to bring additional experience and variety to Chelsea’s attack.