Mario Gila’s late substitution in Juventus-Milan had caused some concern among Milan fans, but the alarm over the Rossoneri defender’s condition was put to rest just a few hours later: yesterday, the Spaniard trained normally with the group, taking part in a recovery session alongside those who played against Juventus.
Tuttosport reported this morning that there should therefore be no problems with his availability on Saturday at 6pm at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico against his former club, Lazio. Today, Gila, like the rest of the Rossoneri squad, will have a day off, before beginning preparations tomorrow morning for the trip to face the Biancocelesti, who came from behind to beat Udinese 2-1 last night and are top of the table with a perfect record after three matches, alongside Roma and Inter. For Milan, Gila’s presence on the pitch is crucial, as it cannot be a coincidence that against both Torino and Juventus, the Rossoneri defence began to struggle badly precisely after he left the field.
The first official matches of the season have nevertheless confirmed that the Rossoneri needed another defensive reinforcement. With Koni De Winter having to play at centre-back due to Matteo Gabbia’s injury and Fikayo Tomori still short of full fitness after being reintegrated into the squad, Ruben Amorim currently has limited options, with Filippo Terracciano serving as Gila’s first alternative. For this reason, as Tuttosport writes this morning, "in January, regardless of how things stand in the league and Europa League, Milan will have to make a significant move in defence — for example, for Sporting Lisbon’s Gonçalo Inacio. Because to build a strong and competitive team capable of taking the risks Amorim wants, the level of the players competing for a starting spot needs to be raised."
