AC Milan boss Stefano Pioli was handed a double injury boost on Thursday as Simon Kjaer and Divock Origi resumed group training.
It’s been a bitterly disappointing week for the Rossoneri thus far, as after surrendering a two-goal lead to draw with Roma at the weekend, we exited the Coppa Italia in midweek in a disappointing extra-time defeat to 10-man Torino.
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With that in mind, the pressure is on both Pioli and the players to get back on track as soon as possible, and having key individuals ruled out through injury, and therefore limiting our options, isn’t particularly helpful and is continuing to be a source of great frustration.
In turn, it’s hoped that we start to move towards having a full-strength squad available again soon, and as per MilanNews, Kjaer and Origi have both returned to group training and will now potentially be in contention against Lecce on Saturday.
Failing that, we take on Inter for the Italian Super Cup next Wednesday night, and so it’s imperative that we start getting players back as we simply can’t afford to let our difficult run continue.
It’s added in the report above that Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Rade Krunic, Mike Maignan, Alessandro Florenzi, Ante Rebic and Fode Ballo-Toure all continued personalised sessions, and so we likely won’t have them back for our upcoming games.
Kjaer’s experience and leadership combined with his defensive solidity could be an important boost at this stage with confidence perhaps low in the group, and so it remains to be seen if he is brought back into the side or is perhaps only fit enough for the bench.
As for Origi, if healthy, he is capable of providing us with a different dynamic in the final third with his pace, movement off the ball and ability to run the channels and stretch defences.
Olivier Giroud has had to carry a heavy workload again so far this season, and so even if it’s as an option off the bench to give us a different and fresh threat, having an alternative option in Origi to come on in attack will be a boost for Milan and Pioli.
