Chelsea’s hopes of beginning their UEFA Champions League campaign with a statement result were dashed as they fell to a 3-1 defeat against Bayern Munich. Despite the disappointing scoreline, one bright spark for the Blues came in the form of Cole Palmer. The young forward marked his return to the starting lineup with a composed finish, reminding supporters of his importance to Enzo Maresca’s system. While Palmer’s performance was a positive takeaway, the main talking point following the game remains Chelsea’s ever-growing injury list, which threatens to derail their progress in both Europe and the Premier League as they prepare for a crucial clash with Manchester United.
The most pressing concern is the length of Chelsea’s absentee list, which includes key figures in attack, midfield, and defence. Liam Delap is one of those sidelined after picking up a thigh injury in the clash against Fulham. Early assessments suggest he will be ruled out until late November, with the trip to Burnley on November 22 marked as a possible return date.
In midfield, Roméo Lavia has endured a frustrating spell since arriving from Southampton. He has been unavailable since the Club World Cup due to a persistent muscle problem and has struggled to reach full fitness. Chelsea’s medical staff are optimistic that he could feature again before the end of November, with the home game against Brighton on the 27th set as a potential comeback fixture.
Defensively, Benoît Badiashile’s situation mirrors Lavia’s. The centre-back has been sidelined with a muscle issue and, though initially expected to return in September, he has yet to recover sufficiently. Like Lavia, his target return date has now been shifted to the Brighton match at the end of November.
Levi Colwill’s absence is perhaps the most worrying of all. The young defender has suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury that may rule him out for the majority of the season. His participation in the upcoming World Cup is now in serious doubt. Without Colwill, the burden on Wesley Fofana, Nathaniel Chalobah, and teenage signing Jorell Hato becomes significantly heavier, leaving Maresca with limited options in central defence.
The injury woes do not stop there. Striker Nicolas Jackson is expected to be out for around a month after sustaining a hamstring injury, while captain Reece James has been rested as part of his ongoing fitness management program. On top of this, Marc Guiu is in recovery from a knee problem, and Dario Essugo continues to struggle with a thigh issue, with no clear return date provided for either youngster.
With so many players unavailable, Chelsea now face a stern test of their squad depth during a demanding run of matches. The resilience of the team will be pushed to the limit as Maresca looks to balance results with the careful reintegration of his injured stars.
