September is shaping up to be a crucial month for AC Milan. Players will be returning shortly from the international break, then the season quickly picks up pace again. The Rossoneri have played well so far, winning both their matches with a goal difference of plus-four, but have a very tough September schedule. Star players are also recovering from injuries, creating availability questions for manager Stefano Pioli.
All these also ties in with Milan’s long-awaited return to the Champions League.
September Crucial for AC Milan
Injuries
Injuries – a common theme for Milan. This year, so far, is no different. First off, there’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Milan’s leading goal scorer last season has yet to play. This, of course, is due to his injury against Juventus towards the end of last season that also kept him out of Euro 2020. He remains one of Milan’s top players and a major leader, so his return is needed. Ibrahimovic has returned to normal practice sessions, so Milan faithful hope that his return is nearing.
Another injured player is Franck Kessie. To make matters worse, his contract renewal is currently creating issues within Milan. The Ivorian is a player Milan cannot afford to lose, but Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain are interested, according to BBC. Kessie also has not played yet this season due to injury but has returned to regular training. There’s a chance Kessie and Ibrahimovic return sooner rather than later.
Lastly, there’s new signing Olivier Giroud. The Frenchman started both of Milan’s matches and scored a brace in the 4-1 victory over Cagliari. He was recently diagnosed with COVID-19, according to the club, so his return is up in the air as well.
Fixtures for AC Milan
Milan’s first fixture of the month comes against Lazio on Sunday. Milan are level on points with Lazio, although the Rome club are sitting at first in the league due to a goal difference of plus-seven. Marking a striker such as Ciro Immobile and scoring against a tough defence with the likes of Francesco Acerbi will be tough. It will be even tougher to score should both Ibrahimovic and Giroud be unavailable. The Lazio match will test Milan’s strength and depth.
Shortly after that, Milan play Liverpool in their first Champions League match since 2014. There’s plenty of history surrounding this match-up and Liverpool will be looking to make waves early after an injury-riddled season last year. This will be an immensely difficult task for Milan.
It doesn’t stop there, with Milan playing Juventus domestically right after. The storied rivalry continues, where this match carries much weight for the Scudetto race. Juventus have started the season off poorly, but it wouldn’t be wise to underestimate the experienced squad.
After Juventus, Milan will play two matches in four days. These come against Spezia and Venezia in Serie A. There’s quite a large drop-off in talent from Liverpool and Juventus to Spezia and Venezia, which presents a nice break for the Rossoneri, but fatigue may play an issue in these matches. Milan’s schedule of the past has rarely been this stuffed with tough matches.
The last match of the month comes in Champions League again, this time versus Atletico Madrid. The La Liga champions could ultimately be the toughest match of the month.
It’s difficult to see Milan walking away of this month successful in the majority of the matches, but September could likely set the tone for the rest of the season.
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