Chelsea are set to welcome Armenian side Noah FC to Stamford Bridge on Thursday night, with the west London club aiming to extend their perfect Europa Conference League record to three wins in three matches.
Victories over Gent and Panathinaikos have placed Chelsea in an advantageous position to secure their place in the tournament’s knockout stages, and head coach Enzo Maresca is hopeful of another successful result this time.
Ahead of the match, the Chelsea squad held a training session at their Cobham base on Wednesday, where Maresca and his coaching staff closely monitored the players’ preparations.
The first 15 minutes of the training session were open to the media, who watched as the team went through warm-ups and drills.
As is customary, the goalkeepers trained separately, while the outfield players were divided into two groups to complete various warm-up activities.
Following this, players engaged in passing, tactical, and shooting exercises.
Here are three observations from the training session, based on images published by the official Chelsea website and other sources.
Absence of Cole Palmer
A notable concern for Chelsea fans was the absence of Cole Palmer from training.
The midfielder, who had missed Tuesday’s session as well, appeared to be sidelined after sustaining an injury during Chelsea’s recent 1-1 draw with Manchester United.
The incident occurred in stoppage time, when Palmer received a hard tackle from United’s Lisandro Martinez.
Although the challenge was reviewed by VAR, the initial yellow card for Martinez was not upgraded.
During his pre-match press conference, Maresca addressed Palmer’s injury, saying, “Cole didn’t train yesterday. We will see today if he is able to train with us.”
Asked if Palmer might be fit for Sunday’s upcoming match against Arsenal, Maresca responded, “We hope so. But we need to see and then decide.”
It’s worth noting that Palmer was not included in Chelsea’s squad list for the UEFA Conference League group stage, as the club aims to carefully manage his playing time.
Nonetheless, with a crucial clash against Arsenal approaching, Maresca will be eager for Palmer to recover and return to training soon.
Positive Team Spirit – Fofana and James Bonding Moment
Photos from training showed an upbeat atmosphere within the squad, reflecting strong team morale under Maresca’s guidance. Players appeared to be enjoying themselves, with many seen smiling and interacting positively.
One notable snapshot captured defenders Wesley Fofana and Reece James embracing, with Fofana’s arm around James.
Both players might be given a rest against Noah, but they are expected to be back in the lineup for the Arsenal match on Sunday.
A Chance for Youngster Marc Guiu
Teenage forward Marc Guiu was also seen participating in the session, marking another potential opportunity for the young talent.
Guiu, who initially impressed during Chelsea’s pre-season tour of the United States, has had limited playing time this season, given that strikers Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku are ahead of him in the pecking order.
However, Guiu has already featured in Chelsea’s two prior Conference League games, making substitute appearances against both Gent and Panathinaikos.
In the latest training, Guiu was spotted wearing a yellow bib and actively working on his skills with and without the ball, indicating that he could see more action on Thursday.
Maresca might opt to give the 18-year-old another chance to shine, especially as Chelsea continues their rotation policy in this European campaign.
As the team prepares for Noah FC, Maresca’s focus remains on managing squad depth while balancing the demands of both European and Premier League competition.
With an important weekend match against Arsenal looming, how Maresca approaches this fixture will likely influence his lineup and tactics going forward.
