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William Gallas has compared Chelsea star Cole Palmer to Real Madrid legend Zinedine Zidane. He believes that the Englishman is very important for Enzo Maresca's side and cannot be replaced.
Speaking to Prime Casino, Gallas claimed that Palmer has become the most important player at Chelsea and the club revolves around him. He believes that the former Manchester City star needs to be protected as he is a star like Zidane. He said via Tribal Football:
"Cole Palmer at Chelsea reminds me of Zinedine Zidane with France, when you look at his importance within the team. You can also look at Gareth Bale at Spurs, but Zidane was so important for France when it came to him making a difference on the pitch. With Chelsea things were different, Jose Mourinho made sure that the entire team were just as important as each other. Everybody knew Zidane was the star and that's the same as Palmer in the current side, it comes naturally to him and that's why he needs to be protected."
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Cole Palmer has had a tough 2025 and has managed just three goals. He assisted twice in the UEFA Conference League final to help them win 4-1 against Real Betis.
Enzo Maresca backed to bring the best out of Cole Palmer at Chelsea
William Gallas has backed Enzo Maresca to bring the best out of Cole Palmer at Chelsea. He told Prime Casino that the manager is rotating the Englishman well and managing to keep him fit. He said via Tribal Football:
"Enzo Maresca knows exactly what to do with Cole Palmer, he knows it better than anyone. I think there will be a moment in which Palmer is rested, it's been a long season and in these conditions it's far from easy, he is only human. "
"The staff will be watching how many minutes each player gets because the most important thing is the Premier League season that starts in August. Palmer is a maestro in this Chelsea team and they cannot afford for him not to be fit for the start of the season. Having said that, they also want to go as far as possible in the Club World Cup and will need him to do that."
Cole Palmer and Chelsea are at the FIFA Club World Cup this month. They won against LAFC but lost to Flamengo last week. They need to beat or draw against ES Tunia on Tuesday to make it to the next round.
