Chelsea supporters have been handed a major boost ahead of a crucial run of fixtures with the news that Cole Palmer is targeting a return against FC Barcelona. Head Coach Enzo Maresca confirmed the club’s hope that the star forward will be available for the Champions League clash set for November 25, 2025. Palmer has been a significant loss to the squad, having been sidelined for nine matches since aggravating a groin injury in late September.
Despite the optimism surrounding the highly anticipated Cole Palmer Return Barcelona fixture, Maresca was quick to manage expectations regarding the 23-year-old’s recovery. “We hope so, but with Cole we try to plan, we try to schedule, you know, at the beginning. Then we need to review that,” the manager stated on Tuesday. Crucially, the influential forward is still not yet taking part in full training sessions with the first-team squad.
Palmer’s return for the end-of-November games would be a monumental lift for the team, which faces not only the Spanish giants but also a difficult Premier League fixture against Arsenal just five days later. His creative spark and goal contributions have been sorely missed during his absence, forcing the team to rely on other creative outlets in the final third.
Maresca stressed that the club is taking a cautious, “day by day” approach with the player’s rehabilitation to avoid any further setbacks to the recurring groin problem. The confirmed target for the Cole Palmer Return Barcelona match provides a clear goal for the player. His availability would significantly strengthen the attack heading into the most demanding period of the team’s season.
