AC Milan’s head coach Ruben Amorim is grappling with a mounting injury crisis as the club heads into the weekend’s high‑stakes derby against Inter Milan. The Rossoneri’s recent 2‑0 victory over Udinese kept them in fourth place in Serie A, but the looming match against city rivals means the team will likely skip a midweek home game against mid‑table Bologna to preserve fitness for the more important fixture.
Amorim’s squad is currently missing up to eight players, a list that has grown with the addition of Ruben Loftus‑Cheek, who suffered a thigh injury over the weekend and is expected to be out for roughly a month. Other key absences include Adrien Rabiot, Mario Gila and Diego Moreira, leaving the side with a reduced roster for the Bologna encounter. In light of these setbacks, the Portuguese manager chose not to hold a pre‑match press conference, opting instead to focus on tactical preparations with the limited squad available.
Despite the recent humiliating 2‑0 defeat to AFC Bournemouth in the UEFA Europa League, Milan’s owner Gerry Cardinale has publicly reaffirmed his support for Amorim. Speaking to Sky Sport Italia, Cardinale praised the team’s ongoing improvement and resilience following the European loss. “The team continues to improve and has shown great resilience after the disappointing match in Europe,” he said. “Ruben has managed rotations and substitutions well. All of this puts us in a good condition ahead of Wednesday’s home game.”
Former Milan legend Alessandro Costacurta also expressed confidence in the current coaching setup. “I see players who follow their coach in a truly unique way. I like their attitude on the pitch,” Costacurta remarked. “I don’t see a Scudetto‑winning team yet, but it’s really very early days and this remains a promising team.”
With the derby on the horizon, Amorim’s priority will be to keep the squad as fit as possible while maintaining the tactical rhythm that has seen Milan climb to the top four. The team’s next challenge will be to translate the lessons learned from the Europa League defeat into a strong performance against Inter, a match that could prove decisive for Milan’s ambitions in both domestic and European competitions.