Nikola Milenkovic subbed off early against Juventus and will have to sit out multiple matches because of a thigh injury. He has been diagnosed with a low-grade adductor muscle strain, Fiorentina announced Monday.
As per Corriere dello Sport, the Serb is a long shot to recover before the first international break. His problem is less severe than initially feared, considering that he had been playing through pain, as coach Vincenzo Italiano admitted after the last game.
“We lost our most important player. Thankfully, I didn’t field him against Udinese. Somebody call me crazy for overhauling the XI, but there’s a reason for it.”
Milenkovic will skip the upcoming tilts against RFGs Rigas and Istanbul Basaksehir in European Conference League and Bologna in Serie A due to his thigh injury. There are feeble hopes for a comeback against Verona on September 18th.
During such stretch, the Viola will be thin in the back. They released Matija Nastasic on deadline day, who signed with Mallorca, without replacing him. Their plan is to lean also on Luca Ranieri, who’s a fullback but played in a three-man line in the past. Youngster Dimo Krastev has started practicing with the first team to provide depth.
Our Take on Fiorentina Losing Milenkovic to Injury
The tongue always turns to the aching tooth. While Nastasic had done little of note since joining, another option was necessary to cope with this weird season. Italiano can work wonders, but Ranieri is at his best attacking than in the back, so the transition to the new role might be challenging. Fortunately for them, Lucas Martinez Quarta and Igor have been solid in the early going, with the former bouncing back after falling out of favor.
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