AC Milan will be without star forward Rafael Leao for their Coppa Italia clash with Lecce as he continues his recovery from a muscle injury. Coach Massimiliano Allegri has ruled him out of Tuesday's game but has now targeted this weekend's crucial Serie A fixture against Napoli for his potential return.
Leao still sidelined
Leao remains sidelined with a muscle injury and will miss Tuesday's Coppa Italia tie against Lecce, with manager Allegri now hoping that he can be fit for the upcoming headline showdown against reigning Serie A champions Napoli. In an interview with , Allegri confirmed the Portuguese star is not yet ready for action.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesLeao injury update and return timeline
Leao has been out of action for over a month, having sustained a muscle problem in a match against Bari on August 17th. He has not featured so far in Serie A this season and will play no part in the Coppa Italia round of 32 clash at San Siro, with the club now set to assess his fitness later this week ahead of a potential comeback in the league.
'We'll evaluate him for Napoli' – What Allegri said
Providing an update on the 26-year-old's condition, Allegri set out a clear timeline for a decision on his return.
"Leao's return is definitely not tomorrow," the coach confirmed. "We'll evaluate him on Thursday and Friday and then decide whether or not he'll be available for Napoli."
Allegri also revealed that Christopher Nkunku could start against Lecce as he plans to rotate his squad, stating, "Tomorrow is a chance to see who has played less, but it's also a chance to move forward and advance to the next round."
Milan in fine form heading into Lecce clash
The Rossoneri enter the cup tie in strong domestic form, having won their last three Serie A matches. They will be favourites to advance, having already defeated Lecce 2-0 in the league earlier this season. Allegri will watch from the stands as he serves the final game of a two-match Coppa Italia suspension carried over from his time at Juventus, with his assistant Marco Landucci set to manage the team from the touchline.