London, 25 August (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has explained why Moises Caicedo and Marco Palestra were absent from the squad against Fulham, confirming the pair suffered minor fitness setbacks during the week. The Chelsea injuries forced Alonso to begin his first competitive match in charge without two players who had featured during pre-season.
Chelsea nevertheless opened their 2026/27 Premier League campaign with a 3-2 victory over their west London rivals at Craven Cottage on Monday evening. João Pedro, Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer scored for the visitors.
Alonso confirms fitness setbacks before Fulham match
Caicedo and Palestra were notable omissions when Chelsea announced their matchday squad.
Alonso said before kick-off that neither player was sufficiently fit to feature after encountering problems in the build-up to the fixture.
“They had minor setbacks during the week, so they were not fit to play tonight,” Alonso said, according to Chelsea’s official website.
The manager did not provide a detailed diagnosis for either player, and Chelsea’s statement did not specify how long they could be unavailable.
Alonso separately indicated that Chelsea did not want to take unnecessary risks with Caicedo and would assess the situation on a week-by-week basis.
Chelsea reshuffle midfield without Caicedo
The Chelsea injuries required Alonso to adjust his plans for the Premier League opener.
Reece James and Romeo Lavia operated in midfield, while Alonso selected Robert Sanchez in goal and a defensive unit featuring Josh Acheampong, Maxence Lacroix, Levi Colwill, Malo Gusto and Jorrel Hato. Palmer, Rogers and João Pedro formed the starting attack.
The absence of Caicedo was particularly significant because of his role in Chelsea’s midfield, while Palestra had impressed Alonso during the club’s pre-season programme.
Despite the changes, Chelsea secured all three points in a closely contested derby. Fulham scored through Josh King and Gonzalo Garcia but were unable to find a third goal.
Palestra had impressed Alonso during pre-season
Palestra arrived at Chelsea from Atalanta during the summer after spending the previous campaign on loan at Cagliari.
Earlier in August, Alonso praised the 21-year-old’s versatility and adaptation after using him on both sides during pre-season. The Chelsea manager said Palestra was getting “better and better” with each appearance.
Both Palestra and Caicedo had also been pictured participating in Chelsea training before the Fulham fixture, making their eventual omissions noteworthy.
What the absences mean for Chelsea
The immediate concern will be whether the Chelsea injuries affect Alonso’s selection options beyond the opening weekend.
Caicedo offers ball-winning ability and control in central midfield, while Palestra provides Alonso with another flexible option in wide and wing-back positions.
Chelsea’s decision not to use either player against Fulham suggests the club took a cautious approach rather than risking aggravating their fitness problems.
Chelsea await further fitness updates
Chelsea have not announced a firm return date for Caicedo or Palestra.
Alonso’s description of the problems as minor offers some encouragement, but their involvement in upcoming matches will depend on how they recover and respond to training.
The club is expected to assess both players ahead of its next fixture, with further team news likely to provide a clearer indication of whether either is ready to return.
