Cole Palmer has been excluded from the squad of Chelsea for the league phase of the UEFA Conference League.
Palmer was left out of Enzo Maresca’s contingent for the competition alongside Wesley Fofana and Romeo Lavia.
Why Chelsea Did Not Register Cole Palmer, Romeo Lavia and Wesley Fofana For the 2024-2025 UEFA Conference League Season?
Reports indicate that the decision was taken due to load management as Chelsea’s season is expected to go on until July 2025 as a result of the FIFA Club World Cup.
Chelsea would be engaging in the 2025 FIFA Club World, with the tournament scheduled to be held from June 15, 2024, to July 13, 2025.
Cole Palmer is arguably the Blues’ best player and the news of his exclusion brought shockwaves to supporters of the club.
Chelsea made the decision to leave out Palmer, Lavia, and Fofana in order to manage the fitness of the trio.
Ben Chilwell was also a noticeable omission from the Blues’ squad with his absence due to him being surplus to requirements at the club.
Cole Palmer
Cole Palmer has made 5 appearances for the Blues this campaign, scoring 1 goal and providing 4 assists in all competitions.
The 5 matches Palmer has featured in this season include both legs of Chelsea’s UEFA Conference League qualification final-round games against Swiss side Servette.
Romeo Lavia
Romeo Lavia, who is currently nursing a Hamstring injury, has made only 2 appearances this season, scoring no goal and providing no assists.
Wesley Fofana
Wesley Fofana appears to have overcome his injury bug, having played the entirety of Chelsea’s first three Premier League matches this term. The defender has also netted no goal and provided no assists thus far.
How Did Chelsea Qualify For The League Phase Of The UEFA Conference League?
The Stamford Bridge club had to submerge Servette 3-2 on aggregate to book their place in the league phase of the 2024/25 UEFA Conference League.
They secured a 2-0 victory at their home turf, before shockingly losing 2-1 in Switzerland, much to the dismay of their fans.
It appears the Stamford Bridge club feels they have sufficient players to prosecute the league phase of the UEFA Conference League.
The 23-man Squad Of Chelsea For The Next Stage Of The UEFA Conference League
Enzo Maresca’s 23-man squad for the UEFA Conference League was disclosed by Chelsea on September 5, 2024, and Robert Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen, alongside Lucas Bergstrom, were the goalkeepers selected.
Axel Disasi, Marc Cucurella, Tosin Adarabioyo, Benoit Badiashile, Reece James, Malo Gusto, and Renato Veiga were the defenders named.
Additionally, Enzo Fernandez, Noni Madueke, Carney Chukwuemeka, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Moises Caicedo, and Cesare Casadei were the midfielders chosen.
In the forward department, Pedro Neto, Mykhailo Mudryk, Joao Felix, Christopher Nkunku, Jadon Sancho, and Marc Guiu were included.
Moreover, Levi Colwill, Josh Acheampong, Kiano Dyer, Harrison McMahon, and Max Merrick were listed in List B.
Chelsea’s Opponents In The League Phase Of The 2024/25 UEFA Conference League campaign.
The Blues will trade tackles with Gent (home), 1. FC Heidenheim (away), Astana (away), Shamrock Rovers (home), Panathinaikos (away), and Noah (home) in the league stage.
It is expected that Chelsea would progress into the knockout phase and possibly become the first club to win all three main modern European club competitions; UEFA Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League.
It will be fascinating to see how they cope with the rigors of competing to win the UEFA Conference League alongside battling to finish in a good position in the Premier League.
The Blues could also be aiming to win a domestic cup competition, having made it to the final of the Carabao Cup last season, albeit losing 1-0 to Liverpool after extra time.
