You would think AC Milan is running their training in treatment rooms with the number of players out with injuries at the moment.
Fans watched as the international break didn’t help the situation either. Still, some faces have started popping up at training again. Yet, training is not the pitch, which has fans wondering if they’ll see star players arrive back in time for the derby against Inter.
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Christian Pulisic’s recovery is the best news so far. He pulled a hamstring in October while playing for the United States, missed several games, and seemed likely to sit out until late November. Then, just before the Parma match, Allegri surprised everyone by saying he was ready again.
Pulisic trained well, looked confident, and even if he’s not at full speed, he’s expected to be involved soon. Inside Milanello, few doubt he’ll be fit for the derby unless something goes wrong at the last moment.
As fans speculate over who might make it back in time, betting markets have also started offering recovery odds. In a market where injury whispers can shift prices within minutes, the edge comes from reacting faster than the crowd—making frictionless sign-ups and rapid cross-book checks especially valuable.
Many of these can be found on online sportsbooks that let users bet without the hassle of KYC, where sign-ups are faster and more private. Pulisic’s odds of featuring in the derby sit around 1.40, reflecting optimism about his recovery.
Adrien Rabiot’s return, on the other hand, is less certain, with odds closer to 3.00 due to his calf injury. Ruben Loftus-Cheek is somewhere in between at 2.25, following a muscle problem sustained in training.
Rabiot’s injury has been harder to manage. He came back from France duty with pain in his calf. At first, it seemed minor. Then the scans told another story with a lesion deep enough to need a few weeks. The staff have kept him on a tailored program, nothing rushed.
He’s been doing strength work, some light ball control, but no full sessions yet. Maybe, if his leg reacts well, he’ll be back just in time. Maybe not. Allegri won’t risk him early. He knows too well what happens when calf injuries are pushed.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek has been a different case. His muscle issue arrived during training before the Fiorentina match. The timing was poor; Milan had already been thin in midfield. But the Englishman has recovered faster than expected.
He’s been seen running outside, sometimes with the ball, sometimes without. His return could happen before the Atalanta game, which would give him a short window to regain rhythm before facing Inter.
Then there’s Rafael Leão. He scared the Portugal staff with some tightness earlier in the break. The winger was withdrawn early as a precaution and has since returned to light training. Everyone expects him to be available before the derby. Milan’s attack doesn’t feel the same without him stretching the field. If he and Pulisic both start, Allegri’s forward line suddenly looks dangerous again.
Allegri has handled the situation calmly, even with half his preferred midfield missing. If everything lines up, Milan could enter the derby with a squad far stronger than they had two weeks ago. Pulisic and Leão are almost certain. Loftus-Cheek maybe. Rabiot is still in question. It’s not perfect, but for Allegri, it might be enough.
