AC Milan will be without Ismael Bennacer for six months after he underwent surgery on his knee in France today, it has been confirmed.
After going 2-0 down within 11 minutes against their city rivals Inter in the Champions League, things went from bad to worse for Pioli’s side as Bennacer was then forced to come off with what looked like a knock that he couldn’t shake off, and Junior Messias came on in his place.
On their official website, Milan have announced that Bennacer underwent surgery on his right knee in Lyon this morning. The repair of the cartilage lesion was successfully performed by Dr. Bertrand Sonnery Cottet in the presence of club doctor, Dr. Stefano Mazzoni.
The recovery time is estimated to be at least six months which is a huge blow for the Rossoneri given that he will also be out into next season, with mid-November the earliest possible time that he will return.
2023 is basically a no-go for him. With Yoko leaving, Asterix more than likely too, we are down to Tonali, Krunic and Donkey. We will need at least one more in that position if not two. And we already need a striker or two, Theo deputy, a competent RW, a proper 10 and probably one more CB.
Oh well, maybe we win something in 2024-25 or at least qualify for UL again.
This is a huge blow for both Milan and him. He will be sorely missed…
Disaster!
Very sorry for him and very dissapointed as a Milan fan.
Imo he is one of our 4 or 5 world class players.
On the plus side, he won’t be getting poached by one of the wealthy EPL clubs he has been followed by.
I just hope he comes back as strong as before injury.
Looks like we’re gonna sign another loan-with-option-to-buy mid. Let’s just pray it won’t be just another case of Meite, Bakayoko, and Aster.
He will be back earlier I bet.
Guy said Bennacer is one of Milan’s 4 or 5 world class players.
I swear we have the most delusional fan base.
We can’t make top 4 in weak serie A, cant score or win vs relegation teams but supposedly we have 5 world class players.
I feel sorry for Bennacer and wish him a speedy recovery, he might be a world class person but he is definitely not a world class player, and Milan has only 1 world class player.
Bennacer was a back up the last 2 years when Milan made the biggest jump in the standings and won the title. Just last season alone, Kessie and Tonali easch played more minutes than Bennacer in the last 2 seasons combined. The only reason he is a starter this year is because Kessie left and he wasn’t replaced.
Milan best stretch of good form and results in 2023 happened between Feb 10 and Feb 25th when we won 4 games in a row with clean sheets, one of them UCL win over Tottenham. That was a period when Bennacer was injured and wasn’t playing. He came back vs Fiorentina and Milan lost 2-1. Benched in returned leg vs Tottenham and Milan goes thru with another clean sheet. Our midfield and defense has looked much better since Bennacer lost his spot in the middle of the double pivot to Rade Krunic.
Bennacer is a decent player but nothing more than a backup, and there was a zero chance of any rich clubs coming and poaching him, especially not from the EPL. He can’t play in the EPL, he will get bullied there. Just look at the 2 goals Milan gave up vs Porto in last season UCL, both because Bennacer got bullied off the ball. He was also the worst player in the Liverpool loss at Anfield.
Stop overrating players
I disagree.
Bennacer won player of the tournament at AFCON ahead of Salah, Mane Mahrez etc.
He is a Mezzala or Am in the mould of a Modric.
Pioli was deploying him in the wrong position for too long, because he wanted to use his ability on the ball from deep.
There is a reason a host of top teams have been after him. If you can’t see his quality on the ball then you don’t watch matches, just read reports.
He , Tonali and Kessie were a great trio to rotate without dropping off in quality.
Mike, Theo, Leao, Bennacer and Tonali are all players of the highest ability. They just need more quality around them.
Even Hakan the snake, has looked class with better players around him at Inter
This is sad since Bennacer is one of Milan best midfield.