AC Milan hope to have some recoveries this week, and this would allow a return to the starting XI for Santiago Gimenez.
Whilst Gimenez was not part of the returning players who were injured on international duty, the Mexican was unfortunately a victim of the circumstances. As Massimiliano Allegri explained, starting the striker would have left him in a difficult position.
“If I had you on the bench, maybe I would have started with Gimenez. Jokes aside, if I had started him, I wouldn’t have had any other striker on the bench.”
So, the decision was taken to have him come on from the bench when the time was right. Indeed, this was the correct choice, as Rafael Leao’s goals were helped massively by his movement.
In the lead-up to Friday, more should be known about the conditions of Christopher Nkunku and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, and provided one (or both) are ready to play, it should see Gimenez return from the start.
As Tuttosport (via MilanNews) wrote this morning, the Mexican is ‘expected to return’ on Friday, and he should partner Leao, which proved to be pivotal against La Viola. Considering the situation of the returning duo, it is unlikely they will be fully ready to start.
So, Gimenez would be given the nod, with the reinforcements back on the bench.
