Milan's International Break Takes a Toll Ahead of Fiorentina Clash
12 October 2025
International Break Strains Milan Ahead of Fiorentina
Milan face potential injuries as international duties overlap with friendly and World Cup qualifying fixtures ahead of the 2026 tournament.
Alexis Salimiaker suffered an injury while playing for Belgium against North Macedonia earlier this week and was substituted in the second half, then returned to Milan for further medical tests.
Most likely Milan will be forced to cope with the absence of the Belgian winger in the upcoming league match against Fiorentina on Sunday Oct 19.
Gazzetta dello Sport reported that Salimiaker could be sidelined for up to a month, though Milan has not issued an official diagnosis yet.
Meanwhile, Pervis Estupiñán, Milan's left-back and Ecuador international, had to exit early in a friendly against the United States.
Despite that, he will remain with his country and has a chance to recover before the midweek friendly against Mexico.
That means Estupiñán could still be fit for Milan's clash with Fiorentina, though his readiness is not guaranteed.
During the same match, Christian Pulisic came on as a substitute in the final minutes after suffering a pre-match ankle swelling.
USA coach Mauricio Pochettino said Pulisic had an ankle swelling before the match, so he opted not to start him, keeping him on the bench.
Nevertheless, Pulisic is expected to be fit to start against Australia in another friendly Wednesday, giving Milan confidence he will be ready for the Fiorentina match.
Three numbers.
This season, Pulisic has been a steady performer for Milan, appearing in 6 league games and contributing 6 goals (4 goals, 2 assists) in 324 minutes.
He has also played two Coppa Italia matches totaling 95 minutes, with two goals.
Salimiaker, though not scoring, has won over coach Massimiliano Allegri since his return from loan, starting the season well, with 8 appearances, 1 goal and 2 decisive passes.
Pervis Estupiñán joined Milan last summer from Brighton and has played 6 matches in league and cup so far, with an assist on his debut.
Allegri's Milan, after failing to secure a Champions League berth last season, are not in European competition this season, focusing on domestic league and Coppa Italia.
The Rossoneri opened with a 2-0 Cup win over Bari, then a 2-1 league loss to Cremonese, followed by four consecutive wins against Lecce, Bologna, Udinese, Napoli, then a goalless draw with Juventus.
In Serie A, Milan has scored 9 goals so far, eight from open play and one from a set piece.
The current top scorer is Pulisic with four goals, and he is Milan's best provider with two assists.
The defense has conceded only three goals in six games.
They sit third in the 2025-2026 Serie A table on 13 points, two behind leaders Napoli and second-placed Roma.
Punchlines coming up below to keep the mood light while we wait for official injury news.
