AC Milan boss Stefano Pioli has been dealt another injury setback as goalkeeper Mike Maignan is expected miss our final game of the season against Salernitana.
The 28-year-old has been absent with a muscle injury in recent weeks, but he’s still managed to make 42 appearances across all competitions this season to continue to offer a crucial presence in the side.
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Ahead of our season finale against Salernitana at San Siro on Saturday night, it had been hoped that we would have as close to a fully-fit squad available as possible to try and finish the year off with a win, but unfortunately the French shot-stopper won’t be involved.
As per Antonio Vitiello, Maignan sustained a dislocated finger in training on Thursday, and although a fracture was ruled out following further scans, he is now set to wear a brace for a week before the injury is re-assessed.
That in turn means he will play no part this weekend, but perhaps more importantly for him in the bigger picture this summer, it will raise doubts over his availability for France ahead of EURO 2024.
With that in mind, it’s a bitterly disappointing setback for the French international, and it’s hoped that he can recover in time to avoid having to be replaced in their squad ahead of next month’s tournament.
From a Milan perspective, with little riding on Saturday’s encounter, Marco Sportiello will deputise again as we see out the campaign, and so Maignan will likely be focused on trying to recover to prove to Didier Deschamps that he can travel to Germany.
Key changes are expected at Milan this summer, starting with Pioli being replaced, and so it will be fascinating to see how much the squad evolves with a new coach in charge, and how that will impact senior players like Maignan who could have a pivotal role to play as we look to bounce back from an underwhelming season.