AC Milan have more injuries this season so far than points on the board, something which demonstrates a real issue in the medical department.
La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) writes that the Autumn crisis can be explained in many ways – three bad games, line-up choices, players not up to par etc. – but many problems can be traced back to the great unmoving engine: injuries.
Milan, when they had their first choice starting XI (or something similar) were excellent, as last Tuesday’s victory against PSG showed. Loftus-Cheek, Theo, Maignan, Pulisic and now Leao have all suffered issues, and they are the core of the team.
All the key players have spent time out and the list of healthy starters from July to November is just Thiaw, Tomori and Reijnders. The fans have lost patience, especially after October 2021 (10 unavailable players) and other previous crises.
Never, however, had there been a beginning to the season like this. The CEO Furlani admitted this week: “We have to work on it.” Pioli two days ago in Lecce admitted he has no answer: “I don’t have an explanation but it can’t just be bad luck. By playing a lot, the physical and mental stress increases.”
The club have the same thoughts. They know and have known for a long time that injuries are a problem and he wants to solve it. Quickly, if possible, because every injury takes away points which put millions in prize money and ambitions at stake.
Some uncontrollable factors are certainly part of the explanation such as having to play every three days, the stress of a high-level team. However, it is clear that all this is not enough to explain. The other big teams also played 16 matches in three months, plus those with the national teams.
Is the error perhaps in the workloads and in the methods of Pioli and Matteo Osti, awarded by his colleagues as the best athletic trainer of 2021-22? Is it the fault of Milan’s style of play, which is very taxing, made up of duels, transitions and pressing? Did the summer tour, which began after just 10 days of training camp at Milanello, jeopardise the preparation and compromise the entire season?
Other explanations that have been discussed in recent weeks that the management give little credence to, such as the idea that Milan train too little, the strength work is too excessive or that the pitches at Milanello are too firm.
From the outside it’s impossible to tell, and for the fans unbearable feeling that, in every match, at least one substitution will be used due to an injury has to end.
The pitches and medical staff should be investigated first and foremost.
Our style of football might contribute to sone injuries but doesn‘t explain the general tendency to injuries also expirienced under Gattuso, Montella…
Athletik preparation seems to be good, if the players are fit they seem to be in great shape. Maybe we train too hard but very unlikely that we train too little.