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Cole Palmer and Jarell Quansah Clash as Chelsea Beat Leverkusen in Pre-Season Friendly
Cole Palmer renewed his on-field rivalry with Jarell Quansah during Chelsea’s 2-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen at Stamford Bridge on Friday evening, as the England pair found themselves at the heart of a heated flashpoint.
The match came just three months after Chelsea’s 3-1 Premier League win over Liverpool, where Palmer played a decisive role in a night to forget for Quansah. Back in May, the then-Liverpool defender scored an own goal from a Palmer cross before conceding a penalty, which allowed Palmer to end a four-month goal drought.
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Following that difficult outing, Quansah completed a summer switch to Leverkusen for a deal worth up to €40 million (£34m) with add-ons. But his return to Stamford Bridge proved anything but comfortable.
Midway through the first half, Quansah launched into a rash challenge on Palmer, leaving the Chelsea playmaker on the turf. The defender could be seen mouthing, “I got the ball”, but Palmer was unimpressed — grabbing his shirt as the two exchanged shoves before teammates intervened. Referee Stuart Attwell booked Quansah for the reckless tackle, while Palmer limped briefly as play resumed.
Could Jarell Quansah have seen red for this tackle on Cole Palmer? 😮 pic.twitter.com/IcQeOMggnp
— Channel 5 Sport (@Channel5Sport) August 8, 2025
Estevão Scores on Dream Debut
Palmer had already been instrumental in Chelsea’s opener, producing a delicate lob that struck the crossbar before new signing Estevão Willian pounced to score in the 18th minute. The £30 million Brazilian, who could cost up to £50m with add-ons, was making his Blues debut and marked the occasion by kissing the Chelsea badge in celebration.
On the stroke of full-time, fellow Brazilian João Pedro sealed the win. The former Brighton striker latched onto a low cut-back from 18-year-old Genesis Antwi and slotted home to continue his strong start at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea Lift VisitMalta Weekender Trophy
The victory ensured Enzo Maresca’s side were crowned VisitMalta Weekender Winners 2025, even with one match still to play in the mini-tournament against AC Milan on Sunday. Chelsea showed no signs of a hangover despite having only three weeks’ rest since lifting the Club World Cup last month.
However, the win came with a shadow — the absence of Levi Colwill. The 22-year-old defender suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in Chelsea’s first training session back and has already undergone surgery, ruling him out for a significant spell. Colwill, who made 35 league appearances last season as Chelsea finished fourth, will be sorely missed when the Blues open their Premier League campaign at home to Crystal Palace on August 17.
With Palmer pulling the strings, Estevão making an instant impact, and Chelsea adding yet another piece of silverware to their growing collection, Maresca will hope this strong start is a sign of things to come for the 2025/26 season.
Cole Palmer and Jarell Quansah Clash as Chelsea Beat Leverkusen in Pre-Season Friendly
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