Chelsea Exclude Key Players from UEFA Squad

Chelsea have excluded Cole Palmer, Wesley Fofana, and Romeo Lavia from their UEFA Conference League squad for the league phase to manage their workloads. Palmer, who played extensively last season, and Fofana and Lavia, who are recovering from injuries, are expected to be added back for the knockout stages if Chelsea progresses. Ben Chilwell has also been omitted, with the club open to transferring him. Despite Palmer's impressive debut season with 22 EPL goals and being named PFA Young Player of the Year, coach Enzo Maresca opted to exclude him to avoid potential burnout. Chelsea's squad, which includes new signings like Jadon Sancho and Pedro Neto, faces a challenging season with multiple competitions, including the Premier League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup, and the Club World Cup.