AC Milan have been handed a major boost with Olivier Giroud ahead of their Champions League opener with Liverpool on Wednesday.
The former Arsenal and Chelsea man missed out against Lazio at the weekend after testing positive for coronavirus, but he has now returned a negative test and should be cleared to line up at Anfield.
However, competition for places in Stefano Pioli's front three is rife, with Rafael Leao scoring at the weekend while Ante Rebic assisted both goals in Sunday's 2-0 win, but Zlatan Ibrahimovic is out through injury.
It would be harsh to see any member of the attack drop down to the bench, and Ibrahimovic's injury could now see Rebic lead the line with support from Leao, Brahim Diaz and Alessandro Florenzi, with Giroud making do with a spot on the bench.
Franck Kessie saw a penalty crash against the bar before coming off after 61 minutes against Lazio, but the 24-year-old is indispensable in the middle of the park as Pioli ponders who to partner him with.
Tiemoue Bakayoko is unlikely to be involved after a short-lived 13-minute cameo against Lazio due to leg pain, which could lead Pioli to name an unchanged engine room with Sandro Tonali given the nod over Ismael Bennacer, with Rade Krunic out with a calf issue.
The Rossoneri have no concerns whatsoever in defence, which should see Pioli once again keep faith in Mike Maignan, Theo Hernandez, Davide Calabria, Fikayo Tomori and Alessio Romagnoli this week.
AC Milan possible starting lineup: Maignan; Calabria, Tomori, Romagnoli, Hernandez; Kessie, Tonali; Florenzi, Diaz, Leao; Rebic
> Click here to see how Liverpool could line up for this clash
Ben Knapton
