Cole Palmer: Chelsea Exclude Star Player From Squad for UEFA Conference League
- English Premier League powerhouse Chelsea have announced their 27-man squad for this season's UEFA Conference League
- The 2021 European Champions will lock horns against Gent, Panathinaikos, Noah, Heidenheim, Astana, and Shamrock Rovers
- Their marksman and maestro, Cole Palmer, will not be involved in Chelsea's UEFA Conference League group games
Chelsea have excluded Cole Palmer from their 27-man squad for the Conference League.
After edging past Servette in a two-legged play-off, the Blues are set to compete in the revamped 36-team format.
Source: UGC
Enzo Maresca's side will face Gent, Panathinaikos, Noah, Heidenheim, Astana, and Shamrock Rovers.
The Stamford Brght outfit will play three home and three away matches in the competition.
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Chelsea leave out Cole Palmer
However, their talisman and top scorer from last season, Palmer, will not feature in any of the matches.
As reported by Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea's squad was submitted at midnight on Wednesday, with Palmer, Wesley Fofana, and Romeo Lavia omitted.
According to Football.London, the decision was based on "load management" as Chelsea aims to carefully manage Palmer's playing time.
Should Chelsea advance, Palmer could be reinstated for the knockout stages, with the Blues allowed to make three squad changes in February.
New signings Jadon Sancho, Joao Felix, and Pedro Neto have all been included, while goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli, part of the play-off squad, has been replaced by Lucas Bergstrom.
How many tournaments will Chelsea participate in?
Chelsea will compete in five tournaments this season, including the newly restructured Club World Cup.
Although Palmer played in the qualifying round, he is currently ineligible for any Conference League matches.
The Englishman is sidelined by injury and recently withdrew from the England squad.
The ex-Manchester City prodigy claimed the PFA Young Player of the Year award after a remarkable season with 25 goals and 15 assists across all competitions.
Chelsea's 27-man squad in full:
Goalkeepers: Sanchez, Jorgensen, Bergstrom
Defenders: Disasi, Cucurella, Tosin, Badiashile, James, Gusto, Veiga, Colwill*, Acheampong*
Midfielders: Fernandez, Madueke, Chukwuemeka, Nkunku, Sancho, Dewsbury-Hall, Caicedo, Casadei, George*, Dyer*
Forwards: Neto, Mudryk, Felix, Jackson, Guiu
*Included in the UEFA B list.
Cole Palmer among Chelsea's top earners
In an earlier publication, Briefly News announced that Cole Palmer’s recent contract extension had elevated him to one of Chelsea's earners.
The club rewarded Palmer with a new deal after his impressive debut season.
Although his new salary ranks him among the top earners, it still falls significantly short of what stars like Raheem Sterling and captain Reece James receive
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