Milan has to deal with a new injury, this time affecting Kyle Walker after the drawn match against Feyenoord at San Siro, which sealed the Rossoneri’s elimination from the Champions League.
Adding insult to injury, Sergio Conceição's team saw their European journey come to an end in the Champions League playoffs. The draw at San Siro, combined with the first-leg defeat in the Netherlands, put an end to the Devil’s international ambitions. It also resulted in Walker’s injury, he arrived from Manchester City in January and quickly became a key part of the Portuguese coach’s project. The physical setback forces the Englishman to miss the match against Torino. Here are the latest updates on his recovery timeline.
Walker played the full 90 minutes against Feyenoord, pushing through muscle discomfort that emerged after Milan had already used all their substitutions. Specifically, the issue concerns his left thigh.
The problem will sideline the former City player for the Torino match, as confirmed by Conceição in his pre-match press conference: "Walker is not available tomorrow."
Recovery timeline?
Milan has not subjected the player to medical tests in recent days, and the general feeling is that it is not a serious injury but rather a minor issue that will not keep Walker out for long.
However, it is difficult to say at this moment how long he will be sidelined. Midweek, Milan will face Bologna in the rescheduled match that was postponed due to bad weather at the end of last October. The game is set for Thursday, February 27, with kickoff at 20:45 CET.
When will Kyle Walker return from injury?
Walker could remain out not only against Torino but also against Bologna, potentially returning in the following round when Milan faces Lazio in what could be a decisive Champions League qualification clash at the start of March, as reported by Calciomercato.com.
In the coming days, a clearer picture of the situation will emerge, allowing for a more precise estimate of when the English defender will be available and back in the starting lineup.
Who will replace Kyle Walker?
In the meantime, young Alex Jiménez is ready to step in for him. The Spanish full-back was unavailable in the Champions League as he was not registered on Milan’s UEFA squad list. He is the frontrunner for the role, with other alternatives including Filippo Terracciano, Yunus Musah dropping deeper, or Fikayo Tomori shifting to the right.
