(Reuters) – AC Milan winger Christian Pulisic will not be available when the newly-crowned Italian Super Cup champions travel to Juventus in Serie A on Saturday, coach Sergio Conceicao said.
The United States international limped off the pitch on Tuesday against Como and was substituted at halftime, after suffering a knock.
However, the 26-year-old avoided a major injury and is only dealing with muscle fatigue, Italian media reported.
“Pulisic is out, I don’t want to bluff,” Conceicao told a press conference on Friday.
“He still has some discomfort, I don’t want to risk it. It’s nothing serious, but if he plays 20 minutes he risks making his situation worse and I don’t want that.”
Pulisic, Milan’s leading scorer this season with 10 goals across all competitions, had recently recovered from a torn muscle in his right calf, an injury that kept him sidelined for a month after an ankle problem set back his recovery process.
He returned for the Italian Super Cup at the beginning of January, helping Milan clinch the title with goals in their 2-1 semi-final win over Juventus and in their 3-2 final victory against Inter Milan.
Milan will meet Juve for the third time in the last two months, after their league clash at San Siro ended goalless in late November.
“There is balance, they are two strong teams,” Conceicao said.
“Two teams that have very interesting players, but all the matches are different. Tomorrow we have to face a team that played a good match against Atalanta.
“We are working on small things that for me are big things… But we have little time, there are many matches, important ones. Until the beginning of February we play in the Champions League, the league and the Coppa Italia.”
Milan, who sit seventh in the standings and trail fifth-placed Juventus by three points, host Girona in the Champions League on Wednesday.
(Reporting by Anita Kobylinska in Gdansk; Editing by Toby Davis)
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