Ruben Loftus-Cheek ruled out for at least two weeks with thigh injury

Ruben Loftus-Cheek will miss at least two weeks after medical examinations confirmed the Milan midfielder has suffered a muscle tear in his left thigh.

According to Milan News, the injury affects one of the muscles at the inner rear of the thigh. Loftus-Cheek will undergo a further assessment in two weeks to determine when he can return to action.

The 29-year-old is set to miss Milan’s Serie A meeting with Bologna on Wednesday, the derby against Inter on Saturday and the Europa League fixture against Ferencvarosi.

Loftus-Cheek came on as a second-half substitute during Milan’s 2-0 victory over Udinese on Sunday. However, he was forced to leave the pitch at the start of stoppage time after feeling a strain in the back of his thigh while making a quick run.

The injury adds to Milan’s growing list of absentees, with eight first-team players currently unavailable. Adrien Rabiot, Mario Gila and Diego Moreira are racing to recover in time for the derby after missing the win against Udinese.

Samuel Chukwueze, Matteo Gabbia and Alexis Saelemaekers remain out for longer periods, further limiting Milan’s options ahead of a demanding run of matches.

Despite the injury problems, Milan have avoided defeat in Serie A this season. They go into the derby with 18 points after recording consecutive league victories.

The timing of the international break in mid-November could benefit Loftus-Cheek, giving him an opportunity to recover before Milan’s subsequent fixtures.