Chelsea finally have fresh details on Marco Palestra’s fitness, and the timeline could shape Xabi Alonso’s plans for the coming Premier League fixtures.
Full name: Chelsea Football Club Nickname: The Blues Founded: 10 March 1905 Ground: Stamford Bridge Owner: BlueCo Chairman: Todd Boehly Manager: Xabi Alonso League: Premier League Season 2025-26: 10th position Website: chelseafc.com Chelsea Football Club is one of the most… Read More about CHELSEA
Chelsea have waited weeks for good news about Marco Palestra, and it finally looks like the wait is nearly over. The talented Italian defender has been missing since preseason, but latest injury news suggest his long road back to fitness is entering its final stage.
Marco Palestra steps closer to first-team return
Marco Palestra has begun individual training sessions with one of Xabi Alonso’s coaches at Cobham, as reported by Daily Mail. This is a huge sign for the player after being nearly a month on the sidelines. This work is widely seen as the last step before he rejoins Chelsea’s main group sessions. That would then clear the way for his long awaited debut in Premier League football.
The 21-year-old picked up his injury in the days before the season opener against Fulham. That was a cruel twist given how good he had looked throughout preseason. He featured prominently in friendlies against Tottenham, Juventus, AC Milan and Real Sociedad. He showed the pace and attacking instincts that convinced Chelsea to spend big money on him during the summer window.
Since that Fulham game, Palestra has not played once, missing the midweek Carabao Cup win over Leeds as well. Alonso has been open about how frustrating this situation has been for the player. The boss admitted that Palestra arrived with huge energy and a genuine desire to make an impact in the Premier League.
The manager has stressed that rushing him back would be a mistake, especially after what happened with Moises Caicedo. The Ecuadorian star returned from injury only to suffer a setback almost immediately. That experience seems to have made Alonso far more cautious with every fitness decision now.
The Blues have two league matches before the September international break arrives. They will be hosting Hull City at home before travelling to face Brentford away. Given the timing, the club may prefer to wait until after the break before easing Palestra back into competitive action.
Palestra’s numbers that impressed Chelsea
Chelsea signed Palestra from Atalanta for £43m plus a further £5m in performance related add-ons. That move came after a standout loan spell at Cagliari last season. Palestra made 37 Serie A appearances, scoring once and contributing several assists from the wing back and full back positions.
His performances earned him recognition as one of Serie A‘s most promising young defenders. In addition, he was praised for his remarkable recovery pace. That is something Alonso clearly values given how his Chelsea system relies on wing backs.
Palestra’s stats for Cagliari(on loan) in 2025/26, as per FOTMOB:
Competition Matches Goals Assists Chances Created Duels Won(%)
Serie A 37 1 4 32 60%
Alonso’s selection headache continues
Palestra’s continued absence has forced Alonso to lean heavily on other options across both flanks. Jorrel Hato and Pep Chavarria have covered the left side, while Pedro Neto and Malo Gusto have shared duties on the right. None of them offer quite the same blend of pace and attacking threat that Palestra showed during preseason.
That said, his eventual return will be key for Chelsea’s balance going forward. Caicedo also remains in a similar recovery phase, and Alonso confirmed this week that the midfielder is now back in training. Both players could return to full availability around a similar time. For Chelsea, getting two key first team players back fit would represent a major boost heading into a demanding autumn schedule.
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