Chelsea Boss Alonso Confirms Key Players Fit for Bournemouth Match

Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has announced that Reece James, Cole Palmer, and Joao Pedro are fit to play ahead of Saturday’s Premier League match against Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge.

The three players returned to training during the long international break. This is good news for Chelsea as they get ready to kick off their league campaign again.

James and Joao Pedro missed Chelsea’s last game against Brentford. Palmer also had fitness issues and had to pull out of the England squad.

Before the Bournemouth game on Friday, Alonso said the players made good progress during the break.
“They have all been able to train, some of them earlier than others,” he said.

“We knew that going into Brentford we had some players struggling, but they have trained well and are ready to go.”

On Palmer’s recovery, the Chelsea manager mentioned that they did not rush him back to play. They wanted to make sure he was completely fit.

“He has trained the last week and has felt better. We didn’t want to rush because we had the time,” Alonso said.

“What is most important for Cole is to be fully fit and that he enjoys his game and is feeling okay.”

Alonso also noted that Palmer had a tough time during the Brentford match but was hopeful about his future this season.
“In the Brentford game, we could see he was struggling and for the next part of the season we have a good feeling for him,” he said.

Chelsea got more good news in midfield, with Moises Caicedo ready to play after dealing with injuries early in the season.
The Ecuadorian midfielder has only played once this season, but Alonso confirmed he is fit to return.

“Yes, he is ready to go. We have used the time with Moi to get him back fit. He has been training well and he is okay to go,” the manager said.

Young defender Marco Palestra is also set to play on Saturday after recovering from an injury he got during pre-season. He has not played in a competitive match for the club yet.

Unfortunately, Chelsea will miss winger Jamie Gittens, who hurt his ankle while playing for England’s Under-21 team.
“He is not going to be fit for tomorrow; that is the bad news from the international break,” Alonso said.

The Chelsea manager described the long break as helpful for his team, even though he thought it was a bit too long without competitive football.

“It has been positive for us, but probably too long,” he said.

Chelsea aims to take advantage of their improved squad when they host Bournemouth, with several important players back in action for the Premier League match.