Saturday’s game between AC Milan and Roma at the Stadio Olimpico has plenty riding on it as the race for the top four intensifies, and Stefano Pioli hopes to have his key men fit for it.
This morning’s edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport (via PianetaMilan) starts by talking about Olivier Giroud. The Frenchman did individual work yesterday at Milanello after missing the Lecce game with calf and Achilles discomfort, but he should return to full training today.
The pain has gone away and at the perfect time too, with Pioli ready to use all of Giroud’s experience and knack for scoring in the big occasions by starting him against Jose Mourinho’s side on Saturday.
However, there are two certain absentees. The first is Tommaso Pobega, who will miss out with a broken rib that he sustained in training, and the second if Zlatan Ibrahimovic who is out with a calf problem and will undergo scans soon.
Let’s be frank here: I can bet that Pioli doesn’t really take Ibra into account in his squad planning since the end of the last season. Therefore, I would speak of only one REAL absence.