Allegri confirms Pulisic and Fofana status for Lazio and gives Jashari a chance

Massimiliano Allegri has confirmed that Christian Pulisic will be available for Milan’s Coppa Italia clash with Lazio on Thursday evening, and says that it will be an interesting opportunity to evaluate summer signing Ardon Jashari, who has struggled with injuries and fitness concerns since his €37m move from Club Brugge in August. 

Milan continue their Coppa Italia campaign with a trip to the Stadio Olimpico to take on Lazio in the round of 16: The second in a double-header between the two sides after Milan’s 1-0 win against the Biancocelesti in the league up in San Siro on Saturday evening. 

The Rossoneri have already defeated Bari and Lecce to qualify for the Coppa Italia round of 16, but for Lazio, this will be their first involvement in the competition this season. 

“The Coppa Italia is of no interest to anyone until you reach the round of 16, when the big teams come in and it rightly starts to interest everyone,” Allegri told SportMediaset ahead of the Lazio cup test. 

“We have to play a good game, it won’t be easy away from home. We won’t have extra time, and so we have to take advantage of the 90 minutes available to us against a team that has the same goal as us.” 

Allegri also confirmed that joint-top goalscorer Pulisic will be back and available against Lazio after missing Saturday’s league game with a muscular complaint. This will be one too soon for Fofana to return, though. 

“Pulisic is available, Fofana is not but we hope to have him with us for Sassuolo. Athekame isn’t there, Gimenez too and is working hard for his return. I need all our players and it’s important that everyone is available. The further we go, the more important substitutions become.” 

And when asked if the Lazio game will be a good chance to see what Jashari has to offer, Allegri said: “Not just his qualities, it will also be an opportunity to evaluate his physical condition. 

“When he came here, he’d basically stood still for a month and a half. He played for 45 minutes and then got injured for two months. So I’m curious to see what level he’s at athletically speaking.” 

Asked if there will be an opportunity for Christopher Nkunku to start, Allegri said: “I haven’t decided on the formation yet. 

“He had a good game on Saturday. In the decisive moment at the beginning of the second half, he played all his passes in the best possible way technically speaking. He’s a player with extraordinary technique, he’s fitting in very well and is improving in terms of condition.” 

Allegri also gave a response to Maurizio Sarri’s suggestion that the VAR screen should be placed on the opposite side of the pitch to the dugouts in order to avoid any future touchline quarrels, as there were when Milan hosted Lazio on Sunday. 

Allegri replied: “That could be a good solution, but we don’t decide that, there are competent bodies in place. We have to think about playing and doing the best that we can.”