Despite the red card he received in the match against Pisa, Adrien Rabiot's disciplinary record has not been reset. In fact, the French midfielder remains on the list of players one booking away from suspension, along with teammates Zachary Athekame, Youssouf Fofana, and Alexis Saelemaekers.
This situation is causing particular concern at AC Milan ahead of the derby against Inter, as another yellow card in next Sunday’s match against Cremonese would automatically trigger a suspension for the city derby. Although there is a risk of losing such a crucial player, Allegri appears inclined to start him anyway, considering Rabiot an indispensable pillar of the Rossoneri lineup, as reported by Gazzetta dello Sport.
Recent history shows that head coach Max Allegri only does without the Frenchman in cases of absolute necessity, such as during his injury spell or in the match against Como, while his second-half appearance in Florence proved decisive in securing a draw.
The strategy for the away match in Cremona, therefore, is to rely on the maturity of the 30-year-old, asking him to manage challenges and his on-field behavior with extreme caution to avoid unnecessary sanctions. The decision of deploying him from the start comes from the need to win Sunday’s match at all costs in order to approach the derby with the right morale and maximum energy, an objective more easily achieved with the Frenchman on the pitch from the very first minute.
Meanwhile, on the injury front at Milanello, the only doubt remains Gabbia, who continues to train separately, while the rest of the squad has resumed training with double daily sessions, as relayed via Milan News.
