Chelsea have felt the absence of Moisés Caicedo in recent matches. The 24-year-old received a straight red card against Arsenal and was subsequently handed a three-game suspension. He missed the defeat to Leeds United and the draw with Bournemouth, and the team has not been the same without him.

Despite the timing of that ban, Caicedo will be available for selection against Atalanta in the Champions League in Bergamo on Tuesday evening. The reason is straightforward: the three-game suspension applies only to domestic competitions. The ban is served in the Premier League, the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup. Chelsea’s midfielder has already been suspended for two domestic matches, which means European fixtures are not included in his punishment.

Domestic bans do not carry over into UEFA competition and European bans do not apply in domestic competitions. That separation of jurisdictions was also the case earlier in the season when João Pedro’s red card against Benfica did not prevent him from playing the following Premier League game against Liverpool.

Caicedo’s availability is a significant boost for Enzo Maresca’s side in a crucial Champions League meeting with resurgent Italians. He will be well-rested for the clash and should help shore things up for the Blues.

Chelsea will, however, lose Caicedo again for the coming weekend. The home game against Everton on Saturday will be the final match of his suspension as the club seeks only a second league victory since the end of the November international break. After that, Caicedo will be eligible to return for the Carabao Cup quarterfinal against League One Cardiff City on Dec. 16, although whether he will be utilised in that match remains to be seen.

Alejandro Garnacho has been unequivocal about his decision to leave Manchester United for Chelsea, describing the summer switch as a “step forwards.” When asked whether he regretted the way his Old Trafford exit unfolded, the winger replied in one word: “No.” He repeated the same one-word response to confirm he was not sad about leaving.

Garnacho’s final months under United manager Ruben Amorim were turbulent. He was dropped from the squad for a Manchester derby in December 2024 alongside Marcus Rashford. After working his way back into the side he finished his spell in frustration, publicly clashing with the boss over his omission from the Europa League final starting lineup. Months later a £40 million ($53.3 million) transfer to Chelsea completed the move.

The 21-year-old has had a mixed start at Stamford Bridge. In the Premier League he has made nine appearances, starting six of those games, and has contributed one goal and two assists. Those figures have not been eye-catching, but Garnacho has been clear that a change of environment mattered.

He singled out Blues manager Enzo Maresca for the role he believes the coach has played in his early progress. “I spoke with [Maresca before joining], he explained everything to me,” Garnacho said. “Now working together I think we are doing well, we are going to improve with time, it’s just three months. He trusts me.

“So that’s the most important [thing]—we have confidence and we are going to improve. The most important thing is confidence. He speaks with me every week and I think we’re going to be better—me as a player and the team all together, with time. We started the season three months ago so there’s confidence between manager and player.

“Sometimes in life you have to change things to maybe take a step forward or to improve as a player. It was the right moment, also the right club, so it was an easy decision.”

For now Garnacho’s stance is clear: the transfer was intended to move his career forward, and he expects both his individual form and the team’s fortunes to improve as trust grows between player and coach.

Enzo Maresca confirmed both Liam Delap and Cole Palmer will miss Chelsea’s Champions League trip to Atalanta, but offered measured updates on the pair ahead of Tuesday’s game.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Maresca said the initial worry over Delap proved less severe than feared. “Yeah, Liam fortunately is not any fracture, so that is good news,” he told his pre-match press conference. “Now for how long he will be out, not sure to be honest.”

UEFA rules required part of Monday’s training to be open to the media, and those present noticed Palmer was not involved. The midfielder has already missed 16 games across all competitions this season, increasing scrutiny over his fitness and availability. Maresca stressed the decision to leave Palmer out was deliberate and part of a managed return. “Cole is part of his process in this moment, he’s not available, he can’t play two games in a row in three days,” Maresca stressed. “So we’ve planned that and it’s just a way to protect him.”

Delap’s earlier absence this season prompted Chelsea to recall Marc Guiu from his loan at Sunderland after failing to block Nicolas Jackson’s temporary switch to Bayern Munich. With Delap sidelined again, discussion has turned to potential reinforcements. Emmanuel Emegha, the Dutch international who has agreed to join Chelsea from Strasbourg at the end of the season, has been the subject of speculation that his move could be brought forward to January. The Telegraph, however, report there are no plans to bring Emegha to Stamford Bridge before next summer.

Chelsea’s attacking options appear to remain sufficient despite Delap’s absence. Marc Guiu and João Pedro are available alternatives up front, while Maresca has previously deployed Tyrique George and Pedro Neto in more advanced roles when required. The manager’s updates offer cautious reassurance as Chelsea prepare for their trip to Atalanta.