Algeria international Ismael Bennacer has been ruled out for the rest of the 2022-23 season after suffering a knee injury in AC Milan’s UEFA Champions League defeat to Inter Milan.
He was replaced after 17 minutes in Wednesday’s 2-0 defeat to city rivals Inter with Junior Messias introduced as an early substitute.
Bennacer is expected to have surgery on the cartilage in his right knee and he automatically misses the return fixture of the Champions League semi-final and the last four Serie A matches of the campaign.
After Wednesday’s match, reports suggested that the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations left the San Siro Stadium in crutches and his absence comes as a worry for Stefano Pioli’s team as they target a top-four spot.
AC Milan are currently fifth in the Italian top-flight standings with 61 points after 34 games, two points behind third-placed Inter.
Bennacer has played a vast majority of the Rosseneri’s matches this season, with 2013 minutes of football in 28 Serie A matches and he has two goals to his name.
