Chelsea’s Cole Palmer will be absent for another week because he fractured his toe when he stubbed it on a door on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, night.

The England forward was set to resume first-team training this week after two months out with a groin injury.

But the 23-year-old will remain out for slightly longer because of the injury to the small toe on his favoured left foot.

He will miss the Blues’ next three fixtures – Saturday, November 22, 2025, Premier League game at Burnley, Tuesday’s Champions League fixture against Barcelona, and next weekend’s match at home to Arsenal.

“He is probably not available for Saturday for sure, Barcelona for sure, or Arsenal for sure,” said Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca.

“Unfortunately, he had an accident at home where he hit his toe. It is nothing important, but he won’t be back in the next week.

“I wake up many times during the night – I hit my head, my legs, my everything – so it can happen.”

Palmer’s most recent appearance was during Chelsea’s 2-1 defeat at Manchester United on September 20, 2025.

The Blues have played 11 games in all competitions since then – winning eight and losing two – and sit third in the Premier League table.

“I think that his team-mates are better players with Cole playing,” added Maresca. “I feel much better when Cole is on the pitch, and we all want Cole on the pitch.

“At the same time, when Cole is not on the pitch, we need to find a solution. The team is doing very well but we are better with Cole. He was almost back with us.”

Enzo Fernandez, Pedro Neto and Benoit Badiashile are all available for the trip to Turf Moor.

Chelsea have Raheem Sterling and Axel Disasi in their so-called ‘bomb squad’ and Maresca confirmed nothing has changed with the pair, despite the defender’s involvement with the Under-21s and first-team training during the international break.

“Axel and Raheem are Chelsea players,” he said. “Axel is helping the second team, he’s helping the younger players.

“During the international break we had just five, six players here, so we needed some second-team players. Axel was part of some sessions with second-team players, but I think it was just one session with us.”