AC Milan dealt double blow as Christopher Nkunku debut delayed while Rafael Leao ruled out again as injury trouble continues

Leao continues to struggle with the calf problem he picked up in the Coppa Italia match against Bari. According to Calciomercato, the Portuguese forward trained separately from the rest of the squad on Tuesday, and Milan’s medical staff are unwilling to take risks with his recovery. The Rossoneri are now targeting the Udinese match in the next round as his potential return date.

Nkunku, meanwhile, is closing in on his Serie A debut after completing a £36 million ($49m) move, but he is not ready to start. The Frenchman could feature for a short spell from the bench against Bologna on September 14.

Leao’s absence is another blow for Allegri, who decided to keep him at San Siro despite transfer interest from Bayern Munich and Barcelona this summer. The 26-year-old had been expected to return after the international break, with Bologna circled as his comeback game, but his setback again leaves Milan short of options in attack.

With Leao out, Allegri is likely to pair Christian Pulisic and Santiago Gimenez up front. Both attackers have just returned from international duty, while Gimenez will be looking to build on his confidence after scoring for Mexico in a friendly against South Korea.

Notably, Milan’s start to the season has been uneven. They were stunned in their opener by newly promoted Cremonese in a 2-1 defeat, but bounced back with a 2-0 victory over Lecce. Facing Bologna, who beat them in the Coppa Italia final last May, will be another tough test.

AC Milan finished eighth in Serie A last season, missing out on European football for the first time in a decade. The only other exception was in 2019-20, when they were banned for Financial Fair Play breaches.

Milan host Bologna at San Siro on September 14, with Allegri hoping his side can cope without two of their biggest attacking names. The priority will be getting Leao fully fit for Udinese, while Nkunku’s minutes are expected to be managed carefully as he looks to settle into Serie A.