AC Milan are not a team with a ‘long’ and particularly high-quality substitutes bench, so every injury carries with it a serious weight and challenges for coach Stefano Pioli… Especially, when at the same time he cannot count on several footballers who are among the most important and on whom the Rossoneri’s game depends. San Siro has become a proper hospital these days, as injuries are plaguing Mike Maignan, Theo Hernandez, Sandro Tonali, Simon Kjaer, Divock Origi and Ante Rebić.The most worrying thing is the absence of Maignan who, since coming last summer as a replacement for Gianluigi Donnarumma, has become indispensable between the posts. The Frenchman injured his calf and is expected to miss close to a month. This means that he will miss six to seven games, including Empoli, both games against Chelsea in the Champions League and between them the clash with Juventus, then the duels with Verona and Monza, and maybe the meeting with Dinamo Zagreb.##NAJAVA_MECA_6666895##However, if anyone has shown that he is capable of healing an injury faster than expected, it is Maignan, who had his return to the field cut short last season when he injured his wrist. Until Maignan returns, Milan’s goal should be guarded by the experienced Romanian Ciprian Tatarusanu, while the talented Norwegian Andreas Jungdal was reassigned to the first team this year.Another headache for Pioli is Theo Hernandez. The ultra-offensive left back didn’t even come to the gathering of the French national team because of problems with the thigh muscle that were evident in the last league match against Napoli. Theo did not want to accept the substitute planned by Pioli, he played the derby until the end, but he will have to rest at least another week. So he certainly misses the clash with Empoli, is a major doubt for the visit to Chelsea in London on October 5, but should be fully fit for the derby with Juventus three days later.📰 Today’s front pages…🗣 @Gazzetta_it: “Maignan is a problem. #ACMilan recall Tatarusanu.”🗣 @tuttosport: “Ouch Maignan; no Chelsea and Juve for him.”🗣 @CorSport: “Maignan, calf injury. Milan will be without him for a month.” pic.twitter.com/xXOMQHUzI5— SempreMilan 🏆 (@SempreMilanCom) September 24, 2022 Simon Kjaer missed most of last season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury. He complained to Kasper Hjulmand about pain in his ankle, but the Danish national team coach did not send him home. It is believed that the pain is only due to contusion and this is a positive sign for the Rossoneri. The situation is similar with Sandro Tonali, about whom the alarm went off when Roberto Mancini said that due to a muscle problem he would not be ready for the duels with England and Hungary and sent him back to Milano. However, the projections are quite positive and Tonali could be on the list of invited players to visit Empoli.##NAJAVA_MECA_6666801##Pioli has positive signals from Ante Rebić, who could also be in the protocol for the duel with Empoli. The Croatian has been out of action for a month due to a herniated disc problem. When it comes to the constantly injured and unprepared Divock Origi, who was already labeled as the worst reinforcement this season in the Apennines, the Belgian, after problems with muscles and tendons, could be on the field between the first match with Chelsea and the derby with Juventus.
