Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has confirmed that Cole Palmer is unlikely to need surgery despite his ongoing groin problem.
The 23-year-old forward was forced off after just 21 minutes in Chelsea’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday.
Speaking to reporters, Maresca said the club’s medical team had not mentioned surgery as an option.
“The medical staff didn’t tell me anything about surgery. I don’t think that will be the case, at least for now,” he explained.
Maresca praised Palmer’s determination to play through discomfort:
“He made a big effort to be available. He passed the test before the game, but he wasn’t 100 percent. He wanted to help his teammates, but the pain was too much, so we had to take him off. It’s a situation we’ll monitor day by day, week by week.”
Palmer is expected to miss Chelsea’s League Cup third-round clash against League One side Lincoln City on Tuesday. Romeo Lavia and Benoit Badiashile are also sidelined.
Maresca suggested he may call on academy players for the tie but admitted the approach carries risk.
“These are the matches that worry me the most because surprises can happen. Football is full of these kinds of games, and I’m concerned about that,” he said.
About the author
Rema, LISA and Anitta perform “Goals” at World Cup 2026 opening ceremony
Nigerian singer Rema, K-pop star LISA from BLACKPINK, and Brazilian singer-songwriter Anitta performed their new single "Goals" at the opening ceremony of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Los Angeles, California. The spectacular performance took place at SoFi Stadium ahead of the tournament's opening match between France and Canada, bringing together music and football culture from three continents. Fans experienced the energy of LISA, Anitta and Rema during the spectacular opening ceremony at Los Angeles Stadium, watching the full performance online and experiencing the music, culture and excitement that helped launch football's greatest tournament. Rema, the Nigerian rapper, shared an incredible experience performing with LISA and Anitta at the opening ceremony of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Instagram. The trio performed "Goals" live - the song they created specifically for the FIFA World Cup - marking a groundbreaking moment […]
Nollywood actress Toyin Adewale says marriage is not a do-or-die affair
Nollywood actress Toyin Adewale has shared her personal views on marriage, saying it is not a "do-or-die affair" for her and that she would not remain in a relationship where physical violence occurs. According to the actress, marriage has never been a do-or-die commitment for her, and she would never stay in a relationship where physical abuse takes place. She explained that "if there's no violence involved and it's just little things, I can try to work on it," but physical beating is unacceptable and she would leave. Toyin Adewale is a well-known Yoruba actress in the Nigerian film industry and has been married for many years. She has previously spoken about why actresses don't last in marriages, arguing that the entertainment industry should not be blamed for broken marriages. For 33 years, she and her husband have stayed together […]
Former Man Utd manager Ruben Amorim emerges as leading AC Milan candidate
Former Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim is reportedly in contention for the managerial position at AC Milan after the dismissal of Max Allegri following a disappointing conclusion to their Serie A campaign. Amorim's tenure at Manchester United came to an end in January, marking a lackluster period at Old Trafford. Having been without a managerial role for the past six months, Amorim now has a chance to take the helm at one of Europe's most prestigious clubs. AC Milan is actively seeking a new coach and is set to reach out to various candidates after parting ways with Allegri once the Serie A season concluded. In addition to Amorim, AC Milan's management is also considering Oliver Glasner, another manager currently without a position, who has a provisional two-year contract offer on the table. During his tenure at Sporting CP, Oliver […]
Folarin Balogun scores brace as USA thrash Paraguay 4-1
United States striker Folarin Balogun scored two goals to help the U.S. men's national team beat Paraguay 4-1 in their opening match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Inglewood, California. This was Balogun's World Cup debut in what Mauricio Pochettino's enthusiastic squad call a "dreamy night" for the striker. Balogun became the first U.S. men's national team player to score two goals in a World Cup game since the inaugural tournament in 1930. The Americans took the lead early in the seventh minute due to an own goal from Paraguay's Damián Bobadilla, then extended their advantage with Balogun's strikes in the 31st minute and in first-half stoppage time to end the first half with a commanding three-goal advantage. Balogun netted his first goal in the 31st minute as Christian Pulisic's deflected centering feed sat up perfectly for him to […]
An unusual World Cup marked by hostile reception for fans and teams
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, has been described as unusual and hostile, with passionate football fans facing visa barriers, inflated prices and poor facilities across the three host nations. Group-stage ticket prices have already been called "unusual and inflated" by supporters, while fans complain that the passionate supporters should not be cut off from the World Cup because of money. Stadiums have appeared empty at times, training pitches are poor, and airports have been described as obstacles rather than welcoming entry points for international visitors. Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa expressed frustration, saying "If the stadiums are empty, the training pitches are poor, and even the airports feel like obstacles, then what are we really celebrating?" Instead of discussing superstars and football teams, the focus has shifted to poor facilities, organization and […]
US Iran peace deal to be signed Sunday as Hormuz reopens
US President Donald Trump has announced that a deal between the United States and Iran is set to be finalized on Sunday, and that the Strait of Hormuz will reopen right after the agreement is signed. Pakistan, which has been mediating the talks, said a final agreed-upon text of a US-Iran peace deal has been reached, with only next steps needing clarification. The deal is expected to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, extend the current ceasefire, and begin negotiations on Iran's nuclear programme. Under the terms of the proposed deal, the Strait of Hormuz would reopen to shipping, returning to the situation that existed before the US and Israel launched their recent military action against Iran. The ceasefire is expected to continue for a further 60 days, with conflict ending across multiple fronts including Lebanon. The proposed memorandum of understanding […]
Related
Former Man Utd manager Ruben Amorim emerges as leading AC Milan candidate
Former Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim is reportedly in contention for the managerial position at AC Milan after the dismissal of Max Allegri following a disappointing conclusion to their Serie A campaign. Amorim's tenure at Manchester United came to an end in January, marking a lackluster period at Old Trafford. Having been without a managerial role for the past six months, Amorim now has a chance to take the helm at one of Europe's most prestigious clubs. AC Milan is actively seeking a new coach and is set to reach out to various candidates after parting ways with Allegri once the Serie A season concluded. In addition to Amorim, AC Milan's management is also considering Oliver Glasner, another manager currently without a position, who has a provisional two-year contract offer on the table. During his tenure at Sporting CP, Oliver […]
Folarin Balogun scores brace as USA thrash Paraguay 4-1
United States striker Folarin Balogun scored two goals to help the U.S. men's national team beat Paraguay 4-1 in their opening match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Inglewood, California. This was Balogun's World Cup debut in what Mauricio Pochettino's enthusiastic squad call a "dreamy night" for the striker. Balogun became the first U.S. men's national team player to score two goals in a World Cup game since the inaugural tournament in 1930. The Americans took the lead early in the seventh minute due to an own goal from Paraguay's Damián Bobadilla, then extended their advantage with Balogun's strikes in the 31st minute and in first-half stoppage time to end the first half with a commanding three-goal advantage. Balogun netted his first goal in the 31st minute as Christian Pulisic's deflected centering feed sat up perfectly for him to […]
An unusual World Cup marked by hostile reception for fans and teams
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, has been described as unusual and hostile, with passionate football fans facing visa barriers, inflated prices and poor facilities across the three host nations. Group-stage ticket prices have already been called "unusual and inflated" by supporters, while fans complain that the passionate supporters should not be cut off from the World Cup because of money. Stadiums have appeared empty at times, training pitches are poor, and airports have been described as obstacles rather than welcoming entry points for international visitors. Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa expressed frustration, saying "If the stadiums are empty, the training pitches are poor, and even the airports feel like obstacles, then what are we really celebrating?" Instead of discussing superstars and football teams, the focus has shifted to poor facilities, organization and […]
Super Eagles maintain 26th FIFA ranking after June matches
The Super Eagles of Nigeria have maintained their 26th position in the latest FIFA Men's World Rankings released on June 11, 2026, before the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Nigeria holds 1585.02 ranking points, showing stability in their global standing with a slight decrease of just 0.07 points from their previous total of 1585.09. According to the official FIFA rankings, Nigeria is currently ranked third in Africa, following strong performances in recent international matches. The team climbed 12 places to reach 26th position in the January 2026 FIFA rankings, marking one of their biggest recent improvements in the global standings. The June 2026 FIFA rankings place Nigeria between South Korea at 25th position with 1591.63 points and Australia at 27th position with 1579.34 points. The African nations in the rankings include Morocco at 7th position with 1755.10 points, […]
Ronaldo backs Portugal to shine at 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America
Cristiano Ronaldo has selected in Portugal's provisional squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, marking his historic attempt to play in a record sixth World Cup tournament. The 41-year-old Portuguese icon is set to compete in the tournament hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, where Portugal will face DR Congo, Uzbekistan, and Colombia in Group K. Ronaldo and Portugal have been training at Cidade do Futebol in Oeiras as preparations get underway for the tournament that runs from June 11 to July 19, 2026. The team is preparing for their Group K campaign with their opening match against DR Congo in Houston, Texas. The Portuguese squad includes notable players such as Bernardo Silva and Rúben Neves, who trained alongside Ronaldo during the session. Ronaldo has been seen speaking with head coach Roberto Martínez before joining the squad on […]
Nigeria misses 2026 World Cup again after dramatic penalty shootout loss to DR Congo
Nigeria will miss the 2026 FIFA World Cup after losing to the Democratic Republic of Congo in a dramatic penalty shootout in the CAF World Cup playoff final in Rabat on Sunday. The Super Eagles beat Gabon 4-1 in the semifinals after extra time, with Victor Osimhen scoring twice and Chidera Ejuke adding a goal, but their World Cup hopes crashed in dramatic fashion. The match ended 1-1 after the standard 90 minutes against DR Congo, with the game going into extra time. Nigeria advanced 4-1 after extra time against Gabon, but could not overcome DR Congo in the final. The match went to penalties where Nigeria lost 3-4, with missed penalty kicks ending their chances of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. The decision by Éric Chelle, coach of DR Congo, to accuse the opposing side of using "voodoo" […]