2 days ago
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A couple of bits of bad news have arrived regarding two important players in view of the trip to face Bologna.
Tuesday night’s match at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara against Vincenzo Italiano’s Bologna is approaching, with the Rossoblu coming off a resounding 3-0 Europa League victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Massimiliano Allegri’s team are heading into the trip to Emilia with a few uncertainties, according to today’s edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below).
Double injury blow
Alexis Saelemaekers, who was substituted at halftime against Roma due to a recurrence of the adductor problem he suffered late in the match against Lecce, hasn’t recovered and will therefore be out of action against his old club.
Christian Pulisic showed up at Milanello on Friday – a day off granted by Allegri – for treatment. Saelemaekers and Niclas Füllkrug were also with him, but it’s not yet clear whether the American will be available for the match: Allegri and his staff hope to at least have him on the bench.
Füllkrug meanwhile is still struggling with a broken toe. Caution led to him being fielded only for a portion of the match and not from the start against Roma, and the same could happen this time.
So the starting attacking pairing currently appears to be the same one Allegri used at the Olimpico against Gasperini: Christopher Nkunku and Rafael Leao. Even Rafa is still struggling with groin pain but will make himself available to the coach, despite not yet being physically at his best.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek is currently the frontrunner as a possible replacement for Saelemaekers on the right flank, while Zachary Athekame could be called upon from the start if Loftus-Cheek were to be deployed in attack.
Strahinja Pavlovic is better and could return in defence, but it is uncertain who Allegri would drop if the Serbian were back. In midfield, a battle is underway for the spot on the right of the three, with Samuele Ricci and Youssouf Fofana the leading candidates.
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