Xabi Alonso has insisted that Cole Palmer and Levi Colwill were deliberately left out of Chelsea's pre-season defeat to Juventus to protect their fitness, not because of concerns over form or selection status.
The Blues fell short against the Italian side in a competitive friendly that highlighted both positives and areas for improvement ahead of the new campaign. Attention quickly moved away from the scoreline to the absence of two key first-team players, prompting questions from supporters and pundits.
