Palmer has been dealing with the issue all season (Picture: Getty/Metro)Chelsea have had to get used to life without Cole Palmer this season. The specific condition Palmer has been battling with is called pubalgia, a chronic groin and lower abdomen issue that Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal also deals with. Palmer’s issue is being managed by Chelsea (Picture: Getty Images)What exactly is causing Palmer’s problems? The source can be from any of those things.’It is a complex injury and, as Palmer’s stop-start season demonstrates, can be highly disruptive. Asked whether players with Palmer’s condition can expect to play twice or even three times a week, Smith said: ‘It’s hard for us to guess.