Chelsea assistant coach Willy Caballero has defended Enzo Maresca’s decision to substitute Cole Palmer during the 2-2 draw against Bournemouth, saying the move was made to protect Palmer’s health after a long injury.
Palmer was brought off in the 63rd minute, sparking jeers from angry fans who chanted “you don’t know what you’re doing” at Maresca. However, Caballero explained that Maresca’s priority was to ensure Palmer’s well-being, given his recent return from injury.
“We want to have the best players on the pitch, but Cole is coming from a long injury,” Caballero said. “In this case, we need to find a way to find the right substitutions to go for the game and also to look after the health of our players.”
Maresca was absent from his post-match media duties due to illness, but Caballero praised his professionalism, saying he’s an “example” to everyone at the club.
Bournemouth took the lead through David Brooks, but Chelsea equalized via Palmer’s penalty. Enzo Fernandez put Chelsea ahead, but Justin Kluivert equalized before half-time.
Ghana forward Antoine Semenyo is reportedly set to join Manchester City and appeared to say goodbye to Bournemouth fans before leaving the pitch. However, Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola is confident he’ll play against Arsenal on Saturday.
