Published: 16:38, 4 November 2025 | Updated: 16:38, 4 November 2025

Cole Palmer is targeting a return for Chelsea’s Champions League showdown with Barcelona as Enzo Maresca’s side travel to Azerbaijan to face Qarabag without him.

Chelsea have coped well without Palmer since he injured his groin two months ago, winning seven of their nine games played in their playmaker’s absence.

The 23-year-old Englishman is not yet training, but there is hope that he can be back in time for their Barca clash on November 25 and the Premier League visit of Arsenal five days later.

Speaking before flying 2,500 miles to Baku, where the team will face Qarabag and plan to stay on English time, Maresca said: ‘We hope so (that Palmer will play Barcelona).

‘With Cole, we tried to plan, we tried to schedule, at the beginning. Then we need to review that. In this moment we go day by day with Cole. He's not taking any session with the team. I would like to have Cole here tomorrow. I would like to have Cole back early. We are a better team...