Palmer’s Dip in Form a ‘Mental Thing’, Says Chelsea Boss Maresca

 Football - Premier League - Fulham v Chelsea - Craven Cottage, London, Britain - April 20, 2025 Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca talks to Cole Palmer. (Action Images via Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Fulham v Chelsea - Craven Cottage, London, Britain - April 20, 2025 Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca talks to Cole Palmer. (Action Images via Reuters)
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Palmer’s Dip in Form a ‘Mental Thing’, Says Chelsea Boss Maresca

 Football - Premier League - Fulham v Chelsea - Craven Cottage, London, Britain - April 20, 2025 Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca talks to Cole Palmer. (Action Images via Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Fulham v Chelsea - Craven Cottage, London, Britain - April 20, 2025 Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca talks to Cole Palmer. (Action Images via Reuters)

Chelsea forward Cole Palmer's 16-game goal drought is due to a mental issue rather than a tactical or technical one, manager Enzo Maresca has said.

The 22-year-old England international had a remarkable debut campaign last season at Chelsea, scoring 27 goals and registering 15 assists in 48 matches.

This time around, however, Palmer has found the back of the net just 14 times in all competitions so far.

Maresca believes it is only a matter of time before the player breaks his drought.

"For sure it's a mental thing, it's not tactical or technical," Maresca told reporters ahead of Saturday's Premier League home game against 13th-placed Everton.

"Cole is still the player who scored 14 goals in 20 games. The style is the same, the manager is the same, the club is the same. Nothing has changed around Cole. It's just mentally in this moment.

"You can see he's a little bit worried because he wants to help the team. You can see he's struggling a bit on that. But he showed how happy he was after Fulham. It's just a matter (of whether) we can win games. For sure he's going to score goals.

"If you go back game by game, he had at least every game one or two chances, so it's not about how the team is playing."

Chelsea are sixth in the Premier League table with 57 points from 33 matches, as they chase Champions League qualification for next season. They trail fifth-placed Newcastle United by two points. At least five Premier League teams are guaranteed a spot in the 2025-26 edition of the Champions League.



Di Maria Says He Will Not Return for Benfica Next Season

Angel di Maria. (Getty Images)
Angel di Maria. (Getty Images)
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Di Maria Says He Will Not Return for Benfica Next Season

Angel di Maria. (Getty Images)
Angel di Maria. (Getty Images)

Angel di Maria will not return for Benfica next season, the Argentine forward said after the club failed to win the Liga Portugal following a 1-1 draw at Braga on Saturday, finishing two points below champions Sporting.

The 37-year-old, who retired from international soccer last year after making 145 appearances for Argentina, has spent five years at Benfica in two spells, having re-joined the club in 2023 after playing for Real Madrid, Manchester United, Paris St Germain and Juventus.

"It hurts a lot to end this way after such a long year. It was my last championship match with this shirt and I'm proud to have been able to wear it again," Di Maria wrote on Instagram.

"There's still a final on Sunday and we're going to go there with all our desire and joy to win it. Together as always. Thanks for your support, Benfica fans."

Benfica play Sporting in the final of the Portuguese Cup on May 25, before kicking off their Club World Cup campaign on June 16.

Di Maria, whose contract runs until June 30 according to media reports, did not say if he will play in the Club World Cup.