Luka Modrić (40) suffered a double, compound fracture in his left ankle during the final minutes of the Derby against Juventus three weeks ago, after a mid-air clash of heads with Manuel Locatelli. He underwent a successful operation, and it was assumed that his season was over, with a return only for the World Cup. However, Modrić made an unexpected comeback for AC Milan's penultimate match against Genoa, which began in the afternoon. Max Allegri stated before the match: "Modrić? No one expected him to be here, but he is. We will see if he will play."

Milan's Struggles Without Modrić

Modrić's injury left AC Milan without a key player at a critical time, with just four matches remaining. Without Modrić, the team has seen a significant drop in form; from competing for the top spot under his leadership, they now face the possibility of securing a fourth-place finish and a UEFA Champions League spot for the upcoming season. In the two matches without Modrić, AC Milan lost to Sassuolo and Atalanta. Juventus has overtaken them, and Roma has caught up, with Como trailing by five points. With two matches remaining, AC Milan has the same number of points as Roma (67), but still holds the fourth position, which qualifies them for the UEFA Champions League next season.