Milan return from the international break with a growing injury problem on their left side, as Ruben Amorim prepares for Sunday’s 18:00 visit to Sassuolo without Alexis Saelemaekers and with Pervis Estupinan also doubtful after a knee injury sustained with Ecuador.
Key takeaways
- Saelemaekers is set to undergo right-ankle surgery next week and is expected to miss at least four months.
- Estupinan suffered a knee sprain in Ecuador’s match against Japan and will miss the Sassuolo fixture.
- Davide Bartesaghi is the leading candidate to replace Estupinan at left-back in Amorim’s 4-2-3-1.
- Diego Moreira has strengthened his claim to cover for Saelemaekers after scoring in three successive Serie A matches.
- The Sassuolo match opens a demanding run of seven games in 20 days, ending with the derby on Halloween.
Saelemaekers faces a long recovery
Milan’s first major injury setback of the season concerns Saelemaekers, whose latest right-ankle problem has proved substantially more serious than initially feared. The Belgian will require an operation next week and is not expected back before 2027.
The club confirmed that Saelemaekers underwent further examinations over the weekend on the same ankle that was operated on in 2024 following a medial malleolus fracture. The recent training injury caused instability around the site of that previous procedure, leaving surgery as the necessary next step.
His absence removes an important wide option from Amorim’s plans for a considerable period. Moreira appears the most direct replacement, particularly after a strong stretch in which he has scored in three consecutive Serie A outings for Milan and earned a starting role for Belgium.
Yet the coach must decide how much attacking weight his side can carry from the opening whistle. A line involving Ramos at centre-forward, Chukwueze and Moreira in wide roles, Pulisic between the lines and Modric in midfield would offer attacking quality, but it would also raise questions over balance.
Amorim must reshape the left flank
Estupinan’s injury has compounded the problem. Ecuador reported that the defender suffered knee trauma against Japan, with scans identifying a knee sprain and internal discomfort. His absence at Sassuolo is certain, while his availability beyond that match will depend on his recovery.
With both regular left-sided options unavailable, Bartesaghi is the natural solution if Amorim retains the 4-2-3-1 used against Lecce. The young defender has been involved with Italy Under-21s during the break, and an immediate switch involving Strahinja Pavlovic or youngster Diawara appears less likely.
Amorim does have alternatives if he believes the current system leaves Milan too exposed. Adrien Rabiot could be moved to the left, allowing Ardon Jashari or Yunus Musah to enter midfield. Another possibility is a return to a 3-4-2-1, with Bartesaghi operating along the entire flank and Ruben Loftus-Cheek advanced behind the striker.
Cisse is also an attacking option, either in place of Moreira or Chukwueze, but the coming weeks will demand more than a single bold selection. The trip to Sassuolo begins a 20-day stretch containing seven fixtures, culminating in the Halloween derby. How Milan absorb these injuries may reveal much about the depth and direction of Amorim’s season.
