Alexis Saelemaekers Injury Update Revealed As AC Milan Face Nervous Wait
The 26-year-old limped off during the 1-0 victory over Lecce.
Alexis Saelemaekers is a major doubt for AC Milan’s crucial trip to Roma on Sunday.
Alexis Saelemaekers Suffers Muscle Strain, Set To Miss Roma
Saelemaekers came off injured during the 1-0 victory against Lecce and underwent tests on Monday. Although the scans revealed he avoided a significant injury, he had suffered a muscle strain in his left adductor.
The 26-year-old limped off with 10 minutes remaining at the San Siro, shortly after setting up Niclas Fullkrug for the winning goal.
Having brought down a superb long ball forward on his chest, Saelemaekers whipped a delivery into the penalty area, where Fullkrug arrived to crash home a header into the back of the net.
The victory ensured Milan stayed hot on the coattails of Serie A leaders Inter Milan, who themselves edged out a 1-0 win over Udinese to initially open up a six-point advantage at the top.
But Massimiliano Allegri’s mood would have been somewhat soured after Saelemaekers felt discomfort after a challenge. According to MilanNews, he was later spotted with a large ice pack on the problem area.
“I felt something in my adductor, so I decided to stop,” he said.
“It was almost over. I didn’t want to put my team-mates in trouble.”
How Long Could Alexis Saelemaekers Miss?
His fitness will be monitored over the coming days, but a definitive timeframe has not been placed on his recovery.
Allegri opted to hand his side a 48-hour rest after their weekend exploits, and they will report back to Milanello on Wednesday to begin gearing up for the testing showdown against Roma at the Stadio Olimpico.
As it stands, Saelemaekers is unlikely to be able to participate – a major blow for the Rossoneri. His absence will bring to an end his impressive record of being the only Milan player to start every top-flight match this season.
Promising right-back Zachary Athekame is likely to replace Saelemaekers in what would be his first full outing.
The Swiss U21 international has made 18 appearances in total this campaign, albeit largely in cameos from the bench. He did, however, find the net during the 2-2 draw with Pisa back in October.
Meanwhile, Saelemaekers signed a new contract at Milan last month, which will run until June 2031.
Dan Davis
Dan is an experienced sports journalist and part-time lecturer. An expert on Serie A and Italian football, he has produced content for the likes of the Daily Mail, Reach PLC, GiveMeSport, FourFourTwo and GRV Media. While Channel 4's iconic Football Italia was a bit before his time, the nostalgia - and pastries - fuelled his love of all things Calcio.
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