Today is a big day regarding Rafael Leao’s injury as he is set to undergo another MRI scan to determine if his muscle strain has fully healed yet or not.
La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) recall how Leao spoke at the 2023 Gran Galà del Calcio last night in Milano about his physical condition, before scooping an award for being in the top XI of 2022-23 along with two team-mates.
“I feel good and I’m not in pain, but we shouldn’t take risks and I want to be back at 100%,” he said. Today is an important day in that regard, and if the checks return the desired results then the Portuguese winger could be available again as early as Saturday against Atalanta.
It is unlikely that he would play as a starter, but he could be useful in the second half off the bench. Otherwise his return would be postponed by a few days and would take place in the last match of the Champions League group stage away to Newcastle United.
Meanwhile, Simon Kjaer has an inflammation that limits him in running and in high intensity work meaning Theo Hernandez could be used as a centre-back again, and Noah Okafor should instead return in mid-December for the home match against Monza.
