Enzo Maresca has provided an update on Pedro Neto ahead of Chelsea's clash against Qarabag in the UEFA Champions League. The Blues will be without the 25-year-old winger when they take on the Azerbaijani outfit at the Tofik Bahramov Stadium on Wednesday evening.
Neto was absent from training on Tuesday morning. The Portugal international was replaced by Estevao Willian in the final minutes of Chelsea's 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday night.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the west London outfit's 5000-mile round trip to Baku, Maresca announced that the Portugal international had suffered a minor injury. He said: "Not a problem, just a small issue. We will try to protect him. He is not involved in tomorrow's game."
Maresca has one eye on Chelsea's clash against Wolves in the Premier League on Saturday night, and he plans to rotate the starting lineup. He said: "It's an important game because it can give us three wins in a row in the Champions League.
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"For sure, we need to rotate some of the players because I think we come back in London at 6am on Friday and then we have a game on Saturday. We will try to adapt and do our best."
Maresca also provided an update on Cole Palmer, who's been nursing a groin injury this season. The Chelsea midfielder was raced back from the treatment room in September, only to aggravate the problem a week later.
On whether Palmer could return to face Barcelona in the Champions League later this month, Maresca said: "We hope so [he returns for Barcelona clash] but with Cole, we try to schedule the beginning and then we need to review that.
Cole Palmer of Chelsea celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD1 match between FC Bayern München and Chelsea FC at Football Arena Munich on September 17, 2025 in Munich, Germany
Cole Palmer has been nursing a groin injury (Image: Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
"We go day by day with Cole. He is not taking any sessions with the team. We have Benoit Badiashile that can probably be available after the international break and for us, that is huge news."
Maresca added: "I would love to have Cole here tomorrow and for every game. Unfortunately, he's injured, but for sure, we want him back very soon."
The Chelsea boss anticipates a 'tough game' against Qarabag on Wednesday night. He said: "They are a good team. They beat Benfica and Copenhagen. They were beating Bilbao and lost in the end.
Enzo Maresca
Enzo Maresca during a Chelsea press conference (Image: Dan Mullan - UEFA)
"It will be a tough game for sure for different reasons," added Maresca. "As a team they are a very good team and a very intense team. The way they press, and they have worked with the same manager for many, many years. They are more intense at home. It will be a tough game."
On the long-haul trip, Maresca said: "Because of the schedule, we used yesterday to recover after Tottenham. It was important to be here [in Cobham].
"We try to balance both situations; be ready for the game and recover all the energy knowing about the flight. We will stay on English time."
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Chelsea flag prior the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final Leg One match between Chelsea FC and Real Madrid at Stamford Bridge. (Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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