GdS: Milan’s five centre-forward options down to two as Pioli juggles another problem

AC Milan head coach Stefano Pioli has been left with a dilemma that he must try and find a solution for in the coming few games, a report has highlighted.

The problem, La Gazzetta dello Sport writes, is regarding the centre-forward role. Olivier Giroud’s injury in Madrid is a flexor problem that will be reevaluated in ten days, which equates to an absence of at least three weeks. After stopping first for Covid and then for some irritating low back pain, the Frenchman is struggling to be available to Milan as much as he hoped.

Between now and 11 December (when Giroud may be back) Milan will play four more times and the options in the hands of Pioli are limited. Zlatan Ibrahimovic will not be able to play every game but will of course starting on December 7 against Liverpool.

The schedule reads as follows: Genoa (Wednesday 1 December), Salernitana (Saturday 4 December), Liverpool (Tuesday 7 December) and Udinese (Saturday 11 December). Of course there is Pietro Pellegri, but he has not even racked up 90 minutes in total for the season and does not offer the same guarantees.

This is where the absence of Ante Rebic is felt, because he would be the man to step up in this situation if he were not expected to miss the rest of 2021 with a hamstring issue. Rafael Leao could play up front and allow Ibra to catch his breath, but then who would replace him? Injuries, therefore, cause a double layered problem.

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