Fonseca discusses Milan lineup changes and injury updates ahead of Roma match

AC Milan coach Paulo Fonseca held a press conference on Saturday to preview Sunday’s Serie A match against Roma at San Siro. He addressed several topics including injury updates, tactical decisions, and his thoughts on facing his former club.

Regarding injuries, Fonseca confirmed Christian Pulisic will miss the match due to an ankle issue that arose during his recovery from a calf problem. Rafael Leao is also unavailable, with Alex Jimenez likely to replace him on the left wing. Fonseca explained that while Leao excels in one-on-one situations, Jimenez offers more crossing and assist potential.

The coach provided updates on other injured players as well:

• Ruben Loftus-Cheek is expected back next week
• Ismael Bennacer is progressing well but not ready to start
• Yunus Musah and Leao are further behind in their recoveries

Regarding Theo Hernandez, who has started recent matches on the bench, Fonseca said the player needs to regain fitness but has shown positive signs in training. He did not confirm if Hernandez would feature against Roma.

Fonseca expressed respect for Roma and their coach Claudio Ranieri, but disagreed with labeling Milan and Roma as “disappointments” this season, saying it’s too early to make such judgments. He remains focused on securing a victory on Sunday despite his connections to Roma.