Chelsea manager Alonso says Moises Caicedo and Joao Palhinha are unavailable for the Premier League away match against Fulham after suffering “minor issues” during the week.
The pair were left out of Chelsea’s squad for the fixture, with Alonso telling Sky Sports that neither player was ready to take part at Craven Cottage.
Asked about the absence of Caicedo and Palhinha before kick-off, Alonso said: “They encountered some minor issues this week. For Moi (Caicedo) and any other player, we don’t want to take too many risks. They are not ready to play tonight.
“We need to monitor the situation week by week, but for tonight, they are indeed not ready to play.”
Alonso did not provide further details about the nature of the problems affecting either player. His comments indicated that Chelsea would avoid risking Caicedo or Palhinha in the meeting with Fulham and instead assess their condition over the coming weeks.
Caicedo’s absence means Chelsea are without one of the players Alonso had considered for the match, while Palhinha is also unavailable for the trip across London. The manager’s immediate priority, however, is the evening fixture, with both players deemed not ready to play.
The Chelsea boss stressed that the situation would be monitored on a week-by-week basis. His explanation focused on caution rather than confirming a longer-term absence for either Caicedo or Palhinha.
The match against Fulham is Chelsea’s latest Premier League away fixture, and the team will begin the game without the two players after their minor issues during the week. Alonso’s comments came in his pre-match interview with Sky Sports, ahead of the meeting between the two clubs.
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