Milan is currently grappling with the recent elbow fracture suffered by Kyle Walker, and now faces yet another significant absence as they prepare for their upcoming match against Udinese on Friday evening.
Just as Milan aimed to regain momentum in their Serie A campaign, head coach Sergio Conceicao has been confronted with yet another setback in his squad’s depth and rhythm. The Rossoneri, already impacted by Kyle Walker’s recent elbow fracture, must now navigate another critical absence ahead of their trip to face Udinese.
The timing of these injuries couldn’t be worse. As the race for a top-four finish intensifies and the second leg of the Coppa Italia semi-finals against Inter looms, Milan’s injury list is expanding, raising serious concerns about how Conceicao will manage the climax of this season.
The first blow to the squad came earlier in the week when Walker, who joined on loan from Manchester City in January, suffered a fractured elbow during training, necessitating urgent surgery. According to the club’s official announcement, the England international underwent “osteosynthetic repair of the olecranon in his right elbow”, a procedure that sidelines him for a minimum of three to four weeks.
La Repubblica estimates that the veteran defender could be unavailable until “late April or early May,” casting doubt on his readiness for the crucial phase of the campaign — and potentially jeopardizing his tenure at San Siro.
With Walker’s absence, alongside Emerson Royal’s ongoing muscle injury, the only right-back options remaining are Alex Jimenez, Alessandro Florenzi, and Filippo Terracciano. However, this reshuffling in defense is not the only tactical challenge that Conceicao must address before the match against Udinese.
Conceicao reveals whether Gimenez will face Udinese
As fans were still absorbing the news of Walker’s injury, more unfortunate news emerged during Sergio Conceicao’s pre-match press conference on Thursday. The Portuguese coach confirmed that Santiago Gimenez would not be available for selection after sustaining a knock in the previous league match against Fiorentina.
“I can confirm that Santi won’t be available tomorrow evening,” Conceicao stated. “He has not recovered. Before the Fiorentina match, we focused on building from the back, and we have continued that this week as well.”
The Mexican forward was introduced in the second half against Fiorentina in an effort to change the course of the match, which saw them trailing by two goals. Unfortunately, his contribution lasted only 25 minutes as he suffered breathing difficulties following a collision with goalkeeper David De Gea, forcing him to leave the field. Initial scans ruled out fractures or internal injuries, but medical staff are taking a cautious approach, keeping him out of the trip to Udine.
The timing of the 23-year-old striker’s injury is particularly frustrating given his prolonged scoring drought. Since joining from Feyenoord in January, he has started six of his nine Serie A appearances but has not scored since early February — an eight-match barren streak following an otherwise promising start to his career at Milan.
