AC Milan coach Stefano Pioli is worried over the fitness of star Rafael Leao ahead of their Champions League semi-final second leg against rivals Inter Milan on Tuesday evening.

Star Portugal winger Leao missed the first leg due to a thigh injury. He also sat out Milan’s 2-0 loss to Spezia over the weekend in Serie A, a game that Brazilian winger Junior Messias and Bosnian midfielder Radoslav Krunic also sat out.

“He is doing better, like Messias and Krunic,” Pioli said when asked about Leao’s fitness at Monday’s pre-match press conference.

“If everything goes as it should, they’ll be available to train this afternoon and for the match tomorrow.

“If he takes part in the whole training session, he will play from the start.”

Ismael Bennacer, an Algerian international midfielder, has already been ruled out for Milan after suffering an injury in the first leg.

Edin Dzeko and Henrikh Mkhitaryan scored two goals in the opening 11 minutes of Inter’s victory last week.

It was Inter’s third consecutive victory against their neighbours, all of which were achieved without allowing a goal.

Whoever advances will become the first Italian team to reach the final since Inter’s 2010 triumph.

Photo by EPA/MATTEO BAZZI