Alonso Handed Double Injury Boost As Chelsea Stars Return To Training
Chelsea pair Marco Palestra and Emmanuel Emegha have been pictured taking part in full training.
The two summer signings have yet to make their competitive debuts for the Blues due to injury, but there is a good chance that they will be available to face Bournemouth a week on Saturday.
Palestra’s return was expected. Manager Xabi Alonso has previously said that the Italian was close to making the matchday squad for the Brentford fixture just before the international break:
“The injury is something on the quad. He’s almost in the last stages of the recovery, so we will see. If [he is] not [fit for] Brentford, then Bournemouth for sure.”
“He’s quite frustrated after a very good pre-season not to be able to play and to make his debut in the Premier League. But I told Marco, ‘Easy, the season is long, there will be a lot of games, and you will play your role, you will have your minutes, you will enjoy your game.’ He is full of energy, and you need to control that.”
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Why hasn’t Emegha been playing?
The striker sustained a hamstring injury in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Bromley back in July, and he was unable to take his place on the pre-season tour of the Far East.
Emegha has been pictured in training before, but there have been suggestions that he suffered a setback in his recovery, so there is less confidence about him featuring against Bournemouth than Palestra.
Latest Chelsea injury news
If you want a more comprehensive round-up of the club’s injuries, you can read our report here, but to summarise, there are six other senior players on the sidelines.
Reece James (hamstring), Moises Caicedo (calf), Joao Pedro (knee) and Cole Palmer (muscular) are all hoping to be back in contention after the international break. Jamie Gittens (ankle) and Mike Penders (quad) are also currently on the treatment table.