Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has revealed that Estevao and Liam Delap will be in the matchday squad to face Aston Villa this weekend.
Asked for an update on the pair’s fitness in his pre-match press conference, Maresca replied:
“[Estevao] is back. He is available for Saturday. And also Liam Delap, he is available for Saturday.”
Estevao has not played since the win over Everton earlier this month due to a minor muscular injury.
Delap, meanwhile, injured his shoulder during the 0-0 draw against Bournemouth and has just returned to full training.
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Will Estevao or Delap start against Villa?
Considering they have both just returned to full fitness, it is likely that the duo will only be able to make the bench on Saturday.
As Estevao’s injury was relatively short-term, the teenager has not missed many training sessions, so there is a chance that he could be picked from the start.
Delap has, though, been out for three weeks, so the best that fans can probably hope for is a 10 or 15-minute cameo. That would suggest Joao Pedro will continue to lead the line.
Maresca also had some good news about another Chelsea player
Cole Palmer has been available since the start of December, but he has admitted that he is still feeling the effects of the groin problem that he has been carrying since last summer.
The 23-year-old has not been playing at 100%, but it appears Maresca is confident that we will see him back to his best very soon. When asked if Palmer can now play a full match, the Italian replied:
“I think he’s ready for 90 minutes, yeah. The progression for a player is 45, one hour, 70. He already played one hour against, I think, Everton. He played more than 70 against Newcastle. I think the progression is there.”
Read more about the Chelsea First Team Squad for 2025/26 here