AC Milan face Manchester United in the Europa League Round of 16 on Thursday and manager Stefano Pioli could have a big selection headache for the first leg.
Going into this week’s game, the AC Milan manager more than half-a-dozen injuries and none of these players are expected to fit for the Old Trafford game.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Hakan Calhanoglu, Mario Mandzukic, Ismael Bennacer, Ante Rebic, Theo Hernandez and Daniel Maldini are all on the sidelines and according to Sky Italia, all of them are expected to stay in Italy.
Speaking at Sky Sport, journalist Manuele Baiocchini said, as quoted by Milan News: “There aren’t many who recover, on the contrary. One is Tonali, who also went on the bench in the match against Verona.
“For the rest, the politics that makes the Milan is: if you are fine you play, otherwise if you are not at 100% it is better to wait a few more days and then recover to have it at 100% for the next match.
“Since they are not just any two matches, because on Sunday there is a clash direct with Napoli, Pioli is holding back on the recovery of certain players who are not at 100%, so Rebic, Theo Hernandez and Calhanoglu (who hoped to recover by Thursday) could remain at Milanello. Mandzukic, Bennacer and Ibrahimovic, however, red light.”
AC Milan have just won two of their previous five Serie A games and they have a really important league clash vs Napoli during the weekend. And this is all the more reason why Pioli will not want to take any unwanted risks.
Man United go into this match at the back of a fine 2-0 win against Man City and Ole will want to wrap up the two-legged tie on Thursday itself.
Injury updates courtesy TransferMarkt.
