[Getty Images]BBCTue, November 25, 2025 at 1:21 PM UTC·1 min readCole Palmer will be a "huge miss" for Chelsea when they face Barcelona, but they still have the "resources to be competitive" without him, says former forward Gianfranco Zola.
Palmer is set to miss the Champions League match at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night with a fractured toe, despite wearing a specially adapted boot to help him in training.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe 23-year-old had already been recovering from a groin injury that has kept him out since September.
Despite this, the Blues have been on a good run of recent form with no defeats in their past five games across all competitions.
"He [Palmer] is a huge miss. We know that Cole is such an influential player for the team," Zola told BBC Radio 5 Live.
"But the squad Chelsea have got, they are very competitive. They have young players coming though – Estevao is one those – so they have the resources to be competitive without Cole.
"Of course when Cole is back it will be a team with a different dimension."
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementChelsea boss Enzo Maresca will be coming up against a side in Barcelona that inspired his own managerial style when Pep Guardiola was in charge, but Zola feels this will make for a interesting match-up.
"It will be one of the key points [Maresca's Guardiola inspiration], but Maresca has also proven he has his own way to play," he added.
"I really like it because, despite being a team that likes to create a lot of chances offensively, in my opinion it is very balanced. It is a team that also defends well.
"It will be interesting because on the other side Barcelona go on the front foot in every game."
Listen to live commentary of Chelsea v Barcelona from 20:00 GMT on BBC Radio 5 Live on BBC Sounds
