AC Milan go into Wednesday's meeting with Bologna unbeaten in Serie A, on 18 points after eight league matches. Christian Pulisic is still driving the attack, but the focus has shifted to who can make it back in time for Bologna and the derby against Inter.
Milan's injury squeeze before Bologna
The main issue is fitness. Milan are unlikely to have Mario Gila Fuentes, Adrien Rabiot and Diego Moreira available for the Bologna match, with the derby return against Inter the target.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek came off the bench in the 73rd minute in Udine and was forced off in stoppage time after a collision with Matteo Palma. Milan won that game 2-0 on Sunday, with Pulisic opening the scoring after six minutes and Omari Hutchinson adding a second for his first goal for the club.
The league numbers still look strong. Milan are 5-3-0, with a +9 goal difference, and have not dropped a point at home in Serie A this season. That is why the injuries feel like a disruption rather than a collapse, even with a stretch of big games ahead.
Bologna's task at San Siro
Bologna arrive on 8 points from eight league matches after beating Cagliari 2-0 in their latest outing. Their two league wins this season have come on the road, which at least gives them some reason to believe they can compete away from home.
Raffaele Palladino's own selection problems are also part of the build-up. Speaking to TuttoMercatoWeb, he said: "Enem has pain in his tendon, his workload during the week is limited. He did not play because he had some discomfort, just like Dovbyk, who has to give something more. Odgaard showed me that he deserves to be in the starting XI".
The wider numbers still lean Milan's way. Bologna have lost eight of their last 10 away games against Milan and have lost just one of the last 21 league meetings at San Siro. Wednesday's fixture is scheduled for 18:30 CET, with the derby against Inter to follow at 20:45 CET on Saturday.
Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →
