Chelsea's Palmer suffers toe injury in new setback
Chelsea will be without star player Cole Palmer for its crunch clashes against Barcelona and Arsenal after he fractured his toe.
Palmer has spent much of this season on the sidelines.
Having sustained a groin injury in August, he then aggravated that issue upon his return to action in September.
Enzo Maresca had hoped to have the playmaker back in action after the November international break, but ahead of Chelsea's Premier League game with Burnley this weekend, the Blues boss revealed Palmer had suffered another setback.
"He is probably not available for Saturday [Sunday AEDT} for sure, Barcelona for sure or Arsenal for sure," the Chelsea boss said.
"Unfortunately, he had an accident at home where he hit his toe.
"It is nothing important, but he won't be back in the next week."
Chelsea takes on Barca in the UEFA Champions League next Wednesday (AEDT), before hosting Premier League leader Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on 1 December.
Asked about how Palmer sustained his latest issue, Maresca added: "I wake up many times in the night to go to the toilet, I hit my head and leg and everything. It can happen.
"He was very close. He was back with us almost, from the groin [injury], which is very good news, but he has this small problem.
"We don't know [about a timescale]. It's fractured. The only thing we know he is not available for this week and next week."
