Mario Gila will undergo tests today after coming off late in Milan's 1-1 draw with Juventus with discomfort in his patellar tendon, and the outcome will decide his availability for Saturday's trip to Lazio.
The change caught the eye because of when it came. Milan were 1-0 up and holding Juventus off in the closing minutes when Gila, who had been one of the Rossoneri's best performers, made way for Filippo Terracciano, who moved in at right centre-back.
According to MilanNews, the Spaniard asked to be withdrawn himself after feeling the problem in his knee, and with no reason to gamble on further damage, Ruben Amorim sent his replacement on.
Gila addressed the issue after the match when speaking to DAZN. "It would seem unfair to say the team is struggling without me. I think they deserved the draw. We weren’t 100% fit; we lost a lot of possession," he said.
"We were in the game until the very end against a strong team like Juve. I haven’t been able to finish the games yet, and that’s disappointing. Today I felt some discomfort in my kneecap, but the draw isn’t to be sniffed at."
SportMediaset report that Gila will be assessed today to establish the extent of the problem. The timing is awkward given the next fixture takes Milan to face Lazio, the club where he spent his previous seasons before the move to San Siro.
His admission that he has not yet managed to see out a full match is the detail worth watching, since a recurring tendon complaint is the kind that lingers rather than clears in a single week.
From here, the tests decide whether Gila travels to face his former side or sits it out.