AC Milan defender ruled out of Newcastle United clash as former Chelsea star returns

AC Milan are set to be without defender Pierre Kalulu for the Champions League clash against Newcastle United on Tuesday night (kick-off 5:45pm).

Kalulu appeared in two of Milan’s opening three Serie A matches as a substitute but missed the 5-1 derby defeat to Inter on Saturday night because of a thigh injury.

And MilanNews claims the Frenchman is also expected to sit out of the Newcastle tie after an MRI scan revealed damage to his left thigh.

Had Kalulu been fit then he’d likely have started against Inter alongside Malick Thiaw with former Chelsea defender Fikayo Tomori serving a one-match suspension.

England international Tomori is heavily tipped to return to the starting XI in place of 34-year-old Simon Kjaer, who issued an apology to Milan fans following their heaviest derby defeat since 1974.

The Denmark international told DAZN: “A game like this, a derby, weighs a lot. I’m really sorry, especially for the fans. They were smarter than us tonight in certain situations, more determined.

“Until 3-1 we played the game, then we lost a little at the end. I’m so sorry for the fans, we know how much a game like this weighs. Tomorrow there is work to be done again.

“We had accepted that these are the characteristics of Inter. We thought that with our strength and our way of playing we could win. Tonight they were good with the insertions of the midfielders. We have to work on that. Milan’s path will always be to play our football. Tonight we lost badly, but it’s a path. I’m sorry for the fans.”