Italy international Marco Palestra finally made his Premier League debut for Chelsea today and showed his versatility as he played in two different roles in just 20 minutes.
The 21-year-old was a big summer investment from Atalanta for over €60m and impressed in the pre-season, but injury ruled him out for the first few months of the campaign.
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Maybe Nabu takes the gym
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – AUGUST 01: Marco Palestra of Chelsea looks on during the Sydney Super Cup match between Chelsea FC and Tottenham at Accor Stadium on August 01, 2026 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)
He was finally given a chance in today’s 5-1 victory over Bournemouth, as all the goals had already been scored when he was introduced as a substitute for Joao Pedro in the 72nd.nd * minute
The club has been praised for his versatility, and he certainly showed that on his Chelsea debut, playing on both the right and left wing, despite only being on the pitch for 20 minutes including added time.
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – JULY 28: Marco Palestra of Chelsea FC catches the ball during the Sydney Super Cup match between Western Sydney Wanderers and Chelsea FC at Accor Stadium on July 28, 2026 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)
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Xabi Alonso has yet to decide where to deploy Italy’s best talent, who could be a full-back, wing-back, or even an attacking midfielder.
Somewhat surprisingly, he looked rusty today, as it was his first game since early August due to a muscular issue that started to shake him out for longer than expected.