Chelsea fans will have to wait a little longer to see Cole Palmer back on the pitch, as his return from a lingering groin injury has been delayed due to a bizarre accident at home. The talented playmaker, who has been absent since September 20, suffered a fractured small toe after stubbing it on a door.

Manager Enzo Maresca revealed the unfortunate news during a press conference on Friday, stating that Palmer will miss the upcoming matches against Burnley, Barcelona, and Arsenal. "He is probably not available for tomorrow, for sure,” Maresca told reporters. “Barcelona for sure. Arsenal for sure. Unfortunately, he had an accident at home two days ago."

Maresca added, "He hit his toe. But it's nothing important. But for sure he's not back in the next week." While the manager downplayed the severity of the injury, he confirmed that it was indeed a fracture, ruling Palmer out for at least the next three games. "It's fractured. The only thing we know is he's not available for this week and next week," Maresca stated.

Palmer's absence is a blow for Chelsea, as he has been a key player for the team this season. The 23-year-old had only made four appearances across all competitions this season, before being sidelined for the last 11 matches. Before the injury, there were high hopes that Palmer would feature in the important matches against Barcelona and Arsenal. Maresca admitted he would have been tempted to include Palmer in the squad for those matches, but acknowledged that the Barcelona game would have come too soon, and the Arsenal game would have been a risk.

The injury is particularly frustrating for Palmer, who was nearing a return from a troublesome groin injury that has kept him out of action for two months. Maresca noted that Palmer was "very close" to returning from the groin issue before the freak accident.

Despite the setback, there is some optimism that the additional rest could be beneficial for Palmer in the long run. With a busy December schedule ahead, the extended break may allow him to fully recover and avoid further setbacks.

In other team news, Maresca confirmed that Benoit Badiashile is back from injury and available for selection. Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez have also recovered during the international break and are available. Moises Caicedo returned from international duty without any issues.