CorSera: Bennacer makes long-awaited return but an unknown factor looms

Ismael Bennacer made his return to competitive action after a six-month absence on Saturday night against Frosinone, but AC Milan are unsure if they will have the midfielder early in the new year.

This morning’s edition of Corriere della Sera (via PianetaMilan) talks about Bennacer’s return to the field 206 days after the knee injury suffered in the first leg of the semi-final of the last Champions League against Inter, which turned out to be require a serious cartilage operation.

In the win against Frosinone on Saturday evening at San Siro, Bennacer returned to the pitch in the final phase of the match. It is a very positive development for coach Stefano Pioli, and he hopes to have him back as a started in the crucial games before Christimas.

However, there is an unknown: the African Cup of Nations. In January 2024, he could be called up by his national team Algeria to participate in the tournament, even if the player himself admitted to being insure.

“I will only leave if I am one hundred percent. The important thing for now is to find the rhythm again. After seven months of perseverance, struggle and hard work, I finally see the light at the end of the tunnel,” he said after the win.

Thanks to the 26-year-old’s determination and the work of the Milan medical staff, led by Doctor Stefano Mazzoni, Bennacer reduced the expected recovery time by over a month.