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A new week of training begins at Milanello for the AC Milan squad today, and Massimiliano Allegri hopes it is the week Rafael Leao returns.
Tuttosport (via MilanNews) confirms this morning that Leao is expected to return to the squad in the coming days. He’s recovering well from the minor calf problem he suffered in mid-August in the Coppa Italia against Bari, which forced him to miss the first two league matches.
Barring any surprises, the Portuguese forward will be available again for Milan’s game against Bologna on Sunday evening at San Siro, which is a good early-season test for Allegri’s men.
Back, but where?
Leao is a hugely important asset for the Rossoneri, but one of the doubts that is swirling at the moment concerns his position on the field after he was used as a centre-forward in preseason.
The paper states that Allegri does not consider him to be a winger, but rather a striker. With the switch to 3-5-2 – which should be Milan’s new main formation – the No.10 will play closer to the penalty box and to go.
The Livorno-born coach is convinced that it is in that role that Leao can truly make the definitive leap in quality that everyone has been waiting for for years. The former Lille man is not a classic striker, but with the right motivation he can become more decisive in front of goal.
There’s great interest in the Rossoneri camp to see Leao pair up with Christopher Nkunku, who’s been impressive in his first training sessions at Milanello and is also improving physically. It’s unlikely they’ll both start on Sunday against Bologna, but it’s not entirely out of the question.
Given that both Christian Pulisic and Santiago Gimenez will return to Milanello late after their commitments against the United States and Mexico, the possibility grows. The important thing, however, is that Leao is available again, then it’ll be up to Allegri to decide.
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