Ruben Amorim has granted the Milan players not on international duty eight days off, with training at Milanello set to resume on Tuesday 29 September, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.
The decision, taken in agreement with his coaching staff, comes after the 3-0 win over Lecce at San Siro lifted some of the tension that had gathered during a three-game winless run. With 15 players away on national team duty, the group left behind in Italy is expected to be supplemented by members of the Milan Futuro squad.
What awaits on the other side of the break explains the thinking. Starting on 11 October with a trip to Sassuolo, Milan face seven fixtures across Serie A and the Europa League in just 18 days, with no more than three days separating any two games. Four of the next five matches will be away from San Siro, a stretch that will test squad depth and Amorim's rotation plans in equal measure.
The league picture demands Milan stay in touch with the leaders, while the Europa League situation leaves no room for further mistakes after the opening home defeat to Benfica. Balancing those two fronts across a schedule this compressed will be the first real squad-management test of Amorim's tenure, and how he uses these eight days of recovery could shape the month that follows.