Palestra (thigh) is likely to be involved in Chelsea's behind-closed-doors friendly against Portsmouth over the weekend, with coach Xabi Alonso hoping to give him much-needed minutes after he trained this week with the select few first-team players not on international duty, according to Football London.
Analysis:Palestra has yet to feature in a competitive match for Chelsea since his move, with his last appearance coming in the final preseason match against Real Sociedad on August 15, and he is aiming to be available for the Oct. 10 match against Bournemouth. Manager Alonso views him as a specialist wing-back who can operate on either flank, and his return would give Chelsea another dimension, with Pedro Neto having been used as a makeshift option on the right side while Jorrel Hato and Pep Chavarria have mostly covered the left.
