Mansion Sports – AC Milan are heading into their clash with Bologna under difficult circumstances, with Rafael Leão still sidelined due to injury and Christopher Nkunku yet to be ready for his long-awaited Serie A debut.

Rafael Leão’s Injury Struggles

Leão continues to battle a calf problem sustained during the Coppa Italia match against Bari. According to Calciomercato, the Portuguese forward trained separately from the squad on Tuesday, with Milan’s medical staff unwilling to take unnecessary risks regarding his recovery.

At present, the club is targeting the upcoming match against Udinese as a potential return date. Losing Leão is a major blow for head coach Massimiliano Allegri, who fought to keep him at San Siro despite strong interest from Bayern Munich and Barcelona.

Initially expected to return after the international break with Bologna marked as his comeback fixture, the 26-year-old’s prolonged absence once again leaves Milan short of attacking options.

Nkunku’s Debut Still on Hold

Meanwhile, summer signing Christopher Nkunku, who joined in a £36 million (approximately $49 million) deal, is edging closer to his Serie A debut but is not yet fit enough to start.

The Frenchman is expected to make a brief appearance from the bench against Bologna on September 14, offering Milan supporters their first glimpse of his talent in the Italian top flight.

Allegri’s Tactical Adjustments Without Leão and Nkunku

With Leão ruled out, Allegri is likely to deploy Christian Pulisic alongside Santiago Giménez in the attack. Both players return from international duty, with Giménez bringing added confidence after scoring for Mexico in a friendly against South Korea.

This reshuffle forces Milan to rely heavily on their newer arrivals to fill the void left by two of their biggest attacking names.

Bologna Clash Presents a Serious Test

Milan’s start to the season has been inconsistent. They opened with a shock 2–1 defeat to Cremonese before bouncing back with a 2–0 win over Lecce.

Facing Bologna, who defeated them in last May’s Coppa Italia final, poses another stern challenge for the Rossoneri.

Last season, Milan finished eighth in Serie A, missing out on European competition for the first time in a decade, excluding the 2019–20 campaign when they were suspended due to Financial Fair Play violations.

Focus on Recovery and Gradual Integration

Allegri has emphasized his priorities: ensuring Leão makes a full recovery in time for Udinese, while carefully managing Nkunku’s minutes to ease his adaptation to Serie A.

The Bologna fixture at San Siro on September 14 will therefore serve as an early test for Milan, who must find solutions without two of their most anticipated attacking stars.