News of Cole Palmer’s freak toe fracture was communicated to Enzo Maresca in the form of an 11pm text from the club doctor, the Chelsea head coach has revealed.

Maresca has also revealed that the plan was for Palmer to return to training on Thursday but that was put on hold when the Englishman had an accident at his home the day before.

Palmer was on his way back from his reoccurring groin injury and Chelsea had one eye on the Barcelona game next Tuesday and the other on next Sunday’s league game against Arsenal as they plotted his return to match action following two months out.

But the Englishman suffered a freak setback on Wednesday when he stubbed his little toe on a door at his home and suffered a fracture, with Maresca ruling him out of Saturday’s trip to Burnley as well as

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