Ismael Bennacer confirms he should be back on the field in mid-December after seven months out with a knee ligament injury and assures Milan ‘want to win’ the Champions League.
The Algeria international has been out of action since tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee back in May, which required surgery and a lengthy lay-off.
He spoke to reporters at an event marking the opening of Casa Milan Dubai and told The National that he expects to be playing again by the middle of next month.
“That’s hard. When you have this type of injury, and at this moment as well, because that was one of the most important games of my life.
“But it’s OK, when you see positive things day by day, you work, you have some plan to come back, you see there’s some steps. I was not working for two months, and then after you are doing the bike, then running, then more.
“Everything is going well, and I don’t feel anything on my knee. There’s been no reaction as well.”
The 25-year-old sustained the injury during the Champions League semi-final against Inter on May 10 and, despite a difficult start to the current season, he thinks his teammates will be right back there again in 2024.
“First, you play to win the Champions League, not playing just to be in the Champions League,” said Bennacer.
“Then, when you have the taste of the Champions League semi-final, you want to go higher, to do better. And that’s why we will try this year.
“Because as I said, we’re not just here to be here in the group and that’s it, or quarter-final and that’s it. No, we want to win it. But, as we saw, a lot of teams will have a chance to win it.”
Milan had failed to score a single goal in their opening three matches, but the 2-1 victory over Paris Saint-Germain blew qualification wide open.
Borussia Dortmund are now top on seven points, followed by PSG with six, Milan five and Newcastle United four.
“When you’re playing for AC Milan, you want to win every year. This year we have a very, very good team, very good players, new arrivals. All the time we are making a team. It will take time a little bit, but we will be OK.”