AC Milan face Salernitana on Wednesday and Stefano Pioli has confirmed a double fitness boost ahead of our Serie A return.
The Rossoneri will be hoping to make a positive start to the New Year as we look to reduce our deficit to league leaders Napoli, and in order to have the best possible chance of doing so, Pioli would have hoped to have as strong a squad available as possible.
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After suffering additional injuries over the World Cup break, it unfortunately means that isn’t the case, but the Milan boss did deliver some positive news on Tuesday in his pre-match press conference, as both Theo Hernandez and Olivier Giroud will be at his disposal.
Pioli on Theo, Giroud
“They’re both doing well mentally and physically,” he told the media, as quoted by MilanNews. “There is disappointment after losing the [World Cup] final, but they came back well. They are available.”
Given the French pair had an extended break after their exploits in Qatar, they only resumed group training at the weekend and so there were doubts as to whether they would be available to start.
However, based on Pioli’s assessment above, it sounds as though both could be named in the Milan XI tomorrow, and that is huge news given injuries to the likes of Fode Ballo-Toure, Ante Rebic, Divock Origi, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and others, as that already limits Pioli’s options.
Both Giroud and Theo have been instrumental for us again so far this season, but we’ll need to find some form and perform collectively starting this week if we are to catch Napoli at the top of the standings.
Meanwhile, Pioli also gave an update on Mike Maignan’s condition, as our No.1 goalkeeper is expected to miss more time having already been ruled out with a calf injury since October.
Pioli on Maignan
“I don’t care what they say in France,” Pioli added, as per the report above. “The scar has not healed as we’d have liked yet and therefore we can’t risk it.”
It remains to be seen just how long Maignan faces on the sidelines still, but it’s a hugely disappointing development as the hope was that he’d be able to use the break to recover and be back in contention by now.
That goes for several members of the Milan squad, but while we’re certainly not at full strength, there is still plenty of quality and experience in the group to come through a difficult test in midweek, and to start building some momentum in the second half of the campaign.
