AC Milan boss Stefano Pioli has received an injury boost as Rade Krunic is expected to be available for our clash with Lazio on Tuesday night.
The Rossoneri need a result in the capital this week as we look to put a poor run of form behind us. Having crashed out of the Coppa Italia and lost our Italian Super Cup showdown with Inter, we also now sit 12 points adrift of Serie A leaders Napoli having played a game less.
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In order to have the best possible opportunity to get us back on track and competing at the high level we displayed last season, Pioli will be desperate for a full-strength squad to be at his disposal in order to give him as many options and tactical flexibility as possible.
According to MilanNews, he will be boosted by the news that Krunic is set to return from injury this week and will be in contention to face Lazio having returned to group training.
The expectation is that he’ll be fit enough for the bench, and although he hasn’t been significantly involved so far this season and hasn’t made a huge impact for us to this point with one goal and one assist in 13 outings, it’s another option available to Pioli as we try to get back on track and close the gap on Napoli.
Milan’s absentee list does appear to be shortening with Mike Maignan, Alessandro Florenzi, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Fode Ballo-Toure still expected to miss out. While that should be a positive for us, it’s now down to Pioli to make the right decisions and find the necessary solutions to ensure we start putting a crucial run of results together starting this week.
Milan face Lazio in midweek before hosting Sassuolo on Sunday, and while the Derby della Madonnina follows the weekend after, we will also start to cast one eye on our Champions League round of 16 tie with Tottenham too given the first leg is on February 14.
With a packed fixture schedule despite our cup exit, it’s imperative we keep everyone healthy in the coming months, and it perhaps wouldn’t hurt if we also saw reinforcements arrive before the transfer deadline.