- Cole Palmer took part in full training at Cobham on Tuesday.
- His recovery boosts Chelsea’s plans for the Napoli match.
- The Blues are pushing to finish in the top eight of the Champions League.
- Palmer has struggled with fitness issues this season.
Chelsea received welcome news on Tuesday after Cole Palmer joined the squad in training at Cobham. His presence raised hope that he could be ready for Wednesday’s high-stakes Champions League game away to Napoli.
The session marked another positive step in his recovery after weeks of limited action.
Chelsea is currently placed inside the top eight of the Champions League standings. However, they still need a strong result in Naples and help from other results to secure automatic passage to the round of 16.
Teams that finish in the top eight avoid the extra two-legged play-off stage.
The England midfielder missed Chelsea’s narrow win over Pafos last week and was also absent during Sunday’s 3-1 league victory against Crystal Palace.
Despite training before the Palace match, the coaching staff felt the timing was not right to risk him.
Palmer’s campaign has been disrupted by several fitness problems. He has dealt with a recurring groin issue for much of the season and recently picked up a separate thigh problem.
As a result, he has managed just four full matches so far and has not featured for England since June.
Chelsea is scheduled to travel to Italy on Tuesday evening. Head coach Liam Rosenior is expected to address the media in Naples alongside one of his players after arrival.
Palmer also trained on Monday and again on Tuesday, keeping him firmly in contention for selection.
While no final call has been made, Palmer’s continued involvement in training has lifted confidence within the camp. Chelsea fans will now wait to see if the midfielder makes his long-awaited return in one of the club’s most important matches of the season.
