Milan announces the absence of Silemaekers until 2027 due to his ankle injury, and France wins over Belgium under the leadership of Zidane

The Italian club Milan announced, on Monday, that its Belgian international midfielder Alexis Sailemaekers has again suffered a serious injury to his right ankle, and will be absent from the football field until 2027, according to local media.

Milan explained in a statement: “Over the weekend, Alexis Saelemaekers underwent additional examinations on his right ankle, which is the same ankle that underwent surgery in 2024 to treat a fracture in the heel.”

He added: “Examinations showed that the ankle had lost part of its stability in the area of ​​the previous surgery as a result of the recent injury the player suffered during training. In light of the results of these tests, a specialized evaluation is currently being conducted to determine the most appropriate treatment course.” The club did not provide further details.

La Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper reported that Sailemaekers, who was not called up by the new Belgium national team coach Mark van Bommel during the current international matches, will undergo a new surgery, which means that the attacking midfielder will not return to the field before the end of the year.

After he was one of the indispensable elements in Massimiliano Allegri's squad last season, where he played 35 matches, including 33 starts, and scored three goals in the league, Sailemaekers' playing time has declined since the arrival of Portuguese coach Ruben Amorim, as he only started in two matches during the first five stages of the Italian League, and has not yet opened his scoring tally this season.

Before facing Sassuolo on Sunday, in the sixth stage of the league, Milan occupies fifth place with 11 points, two points behind the top three, Roma, Inter, and Lazio.

The French national team achieved its first victory on home soil under the leadership of its new coach, Zinedine Zidane, with an exciting victory over Belgium, 4-1, on Monday evening, in the fourth round of the European Nations League.

The Belgian team did not take advantage in the first half with a goal scored by Dodi Lukebakio in the 35th minute of the match that was held at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis in the French capital, Paris.

Rather, the Roosters turned the tables on their guest with a four-pointer in the second half, scored by substitutes Desiree Doue, Rayyan Chergui and Michael Oliset with a “double” in the 77th, 81st, 88th and 91st minutes, so that France achieved its first victory on its home field under the leadership of Zidane, who took over after the departure of Didier Deschamps after a long career that lasted 14 years until the 2026 World Cup.

The French national team had begun its campaign with Zidane with two away wins against Belgium and Turkey, with one score of 1-0, before drawing at home with Italy, with a score of 1-1.

With this result, France raises its score to 10 points at the top of Group A for the first level, while Belgium's score froze at 6 points, falling to third place with 6 points, after suffering its second loss to France in the group after falling in Brussels in the second round.

The Swedish national team defeated its Romanian host, 1-0, on Monday, in the fourth round of Group D in the second level of the European Nations League.

The Swedish national team raised its score to ten points in first place in the group, while the Romanian national team is at the bottom of the standings with no points.

Arsenal striker Victor Gjukeris scored the only goal of the match for the Swedish national team in the 15th minute.

In another match in the same round, the Bosnia and Herzegovina team defeated Poland 1-0.

Ivan Pasic scored the only goal of the match for the Bosnian national team from a penalty kick in the 85th minute.

The Bosnia and Herzegovina team raised its score to eight points in second place, while the Poland team froze at four points in third place.

In the Slovak city of Trnava, the Hungarian national team continued its awakening in the European Nations League with a revenge victory over its host Ukraine, 2-1, in the fourth round of the group stage.

After a scoreless first half, Hungary took the lead with Milan Tute's goal in the 52nd minute, and Ukraine equalized with Roman Yaremchuk's goal in the 83rd minute.

But the Hungarian team snatched the match points with a second goal scored by Mark Singer in the 85th minute, collecting 7 points in the last three rounds, and avenging its loss to Ukraine with a score of 0-1 in the first round.

With this result, the Hungarian national team rises to second place in Group Two in the second level with 8 points, reviving its hopes of qualifying for the first level.

As for Ukraine, it fell to third place with 4 points after two consecutive losses.

At the same time, Northern Ireland and Georgia tied without goals, with each team getting a point.

Thus, the Northern Ireland team remains in the lead with 8 points, but the gap with Hungary has narrowed, while the Georgia team is at the bottom of the standings with only two points.