Milanello will be a fair bit emptier this week as the first international break of the new year takes place, with 15 AC Milan players called up by their respective countries.
As the official website states, 15 squad members have answered their respective call-ups, whether it’s for friendly games preparing for the European Championship or to define the Concacaf Nations League winners.
Below are the players who have been summoned – including Mike Maignan who survived an injury scare – and when they will play over the break:
Olivier Giroud, Theo Hernández, and Mike Maignan (France)
France v Germany: Saturday 23 March, 20:00 CET, Lyon – Friendly
France v Chile: Tuesday 26 March, 21:00 CET, Marseille – Friendly
Yunus Musah and Christian Pulisic (United States)
➤ USA v Jamaica: Friday 22 March, 01:00 CET, Arlington – CONCACAF Nations League Semifinal
➤ USA v Panama/Mexico: Monday 25 March, Arlington – CONCACAF Nations League Final 1st or 3rd place
Ismaël Bennacer (Algeria)
➤ Algeria v Bolivia: Friday 22 March, 21:00 CET, Algiers – Friendly
➤ Algeria v South Africa: Tuesday 26 March, 22:00 CET, Algiers – Friendly
Simon Kjær (Denmark)
➤ Denmark v Switzerland: Saturday 23 March, 20:00 CET, Copenhagen – Friendly
➤ Denmark v Faroe Islands: Tuesday 26 March, 20:15 CET, Brøndby – Friendly
Tijjani Reijnders (Netherlands)
➤ Netherlands v Scotland: Friday 22 March, 20:45 CET, Amsterdam – Friendly
➤ Germany v Netherlands: Tuesday 26 March, 20:45 CET, Frankfurt – Friendly
Rafael Leão (Portugal)
➤ Portugal v Sweden: Thursday 21 March, 20:45 CET, Guimarães – Friendly
➤ Slovenia v Portugal: Tuesday 26 March, 20:45 CET, Ljubljana – Friendly
Luka Jović (Serbia)
➤ Russia v Serbia: Thursday 21 March, 20:00 CET, Moscow – Friendly
➤ Cyprus v Serbia: Monday 25 March, 19:00 CET, Larnaca – Friendly
Noah Okafor (Switzerland)
➤ Denmark v Switzerland: Saturday 23 March, 20:00 CET, Copenhagen – Friendly
➤ Ireland v Switzerland: Tuesday 26 March, 20:45 CET, Dublin – Friendly
Filippo Terracciano (Italy Under-20)
➤ Romania v Italy: Thursday 21 March, 18:15 CET, Targoviste – Élite League
Davide Bartesaghi and Kevin Zeroli (Italy Under-19)
➤ Italy v Scotland: Wednesday 20 March, 15:00 CET, Lignano Sabbiadoro – UEFA Euro U19 Qualifiers
➤ Czech Republic v Italy: Saturday 23 March, 16:30 CET, Udine – UEFA Euro U19 Qualifiers
➤ Georgia v Italy: Tuesday 26 March, 14:30 CET, Lignano Sabbiadoro – UEFA Euro U19 Qualifiers
Jan-Carlo Simić (Serbia Under-19)
➤ Serbia v Denmark: Wednesday 20 March, 14:00 CET, Tábua (Portugal) – UEFA Euro U19 Qualifiers
➤ Portugal v Serbia: Saturday 23 March, 21:00 CET, Aveiro – UEFA Euro U19 Qualifiers
➤ Greece v Serbia: Tuesday 26 March, 14:00 CET, Tábua (Portugal) – UEFA Euro U19 Qualifiers
So we’ll still have
Sportiello,
Calabria, Tomori, Thiaw, Florenzi
Adli, Loftus Cheek
Chukwueze
Not great, but that means most/all? of the defense for the Fiorentina game will be training together. I’d even consider starting Chuk over Pulisic considering the games and flight back that he has to take.
Brace for injuries; especially from the French who seem to run their players down. Algeria also a concern.