GdS: Milan face defensive ‘emergency’ after double blow – how Amorim will adapt

AC Milan are left with very few options in defence after Matteo Gabbia’s injury, forcing Ruben Amorim to adapt to a difficult situation.

Whilst it’s bad luck to be in Milan’s position, they have put themselves there with a lack of planning. Ultimately, the past has shown how easily the Rossoneri have fallen to injuries and this weekend’s proof of a problem was made all the more frustrating by the knowledge of the past…

Milan’s eight (three) options

This morning, Gazzetta dello Sport wrote that the defensive situation was ‘already looming’, but it showed itself against Sassuolo. Gabbia – as was confirmed yesterday – has suffered a tear to the left thigh flexor muscle, with partial tendon involvement, a nasty injury.

Now, he has two options: to recover naturally, with therapy and rest, or to have surgery, pushing his return back by a month or two. Either way, he won’t be seen until much later in the season.

Without him, the choices are few and Mario Gila, Koni De Winter and Strahinja Pavlovic will be required to perform overtime. Fikayo Tomori, Sankhoun Diawara, Valeri Vladimirov, even Filippo Terracciano and Davide Bartesaghi are options, but none have been used as a go-to in Amorim’s back three this season.

It’s an emergency situation and there will be no escape until the January window. So, he’ll have to open to the cards lying on his table.

With Saelemaekers, the decision has already been made to head for surgery and he faces around four months on the sidelines, with Gino Kerkhoffs leading the process. Of course, the wing-back cover issue was also identified before the summer.

So, again, it’s not like the Diavolo have been ambushed here.