Inter captain Lautaro Martínez out about a month with left thigh injury
Inter captain Lautaro Martínez will miss several Champions League and Serie A matches, including the Milan derby, after tests on 15 October showed a muscle strain. Reports point to a return around the Atalanta match on 22 November, though nothing is certain.
Injury and diagnosis
Inter captain Lautaro Martínez has a muscle strain to the flexors of his left thigh. The club confirmed the problem in a statement after he underwent clinical and instrumental tests at the Humanitas hospital in Rozzano on 15 October. The Argentine forward had scored twice in the Champions League loss to Club Brugge, a 3-4 defeat at the Giuseppe Meazza stadium in Milan, according to Il Messaggero. That result left Inter still on zero points in the league phase, and coach Cristian Chivu now has to rework his attack without his main goal threat.
Expected absence
Adnkronos puts the layoff at about one month, with the exact recovery time depending on how the injury develops. Gazzetta dello Sport, as cited by G4Media, reports Italian journalists talking about a break of a month and a half. The return is discussed around the Atalanta away match on 22 November, after the international break, but no date is certain.
- Tests in Rozzano confirm a strain to the left thigh flexors
- Reported return target for the Atalanta away match, not confirmed
Matches he will miss
The absences listed by the reports include Champions League games against Shakhtar and Feyenoord. In Serie A, Adnkronos says he will miss the derby against Milan, which Fanpage dates to 31 October. The Bologna, Venezia and Como fixtures are also on the list, and Adnkronos adds Fiorentina. ANSA notes he will certainly not be available for the Saturday league match against Bologna.
What it means for Inter
Adnkronos says Chivu must redistribute the attacking responsibilities and find effective alternatives in attack while the captain recovers. The squad faces a demanding stretch of league and European fixtures in which managing energy levels will matter. For now, the timing of his return depends on how the strain heals.
