Chelsea head coach Xabi Alonso has explained that Moises Caicedo and Marco Palestra were both absent from the squad for the west London derby against Fulham after suffering setbacks during the week.
Setbacks during the week
Speaking to Sky Sports, Alonso said: “During the week they had few setbacks. With Moi, we don’t want to take risks. They were not ready to play tonight. We go week-by-week, but they were not ready for tonight.”
Caicedo and Palestra ruled out
The Ecuador midfielder was a surprise exclusion for the match, with Palestra also missing from the squad. Alonso’s comments suggest the club are taking a cautious approach to the pair’s fitness.
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