Inter will be without Lautaro Martínez for more than a month after tests confirmed a muscle strain in the flexors of his left thigh. The captain is expected to miss seven matches across Serie A and the Champions League, and he will not be available for the derby with AC Milan on 31 October.
The diagnosis and the timeline
Sky Sport Italia, quoting Inter's statement in Italian, said: "Lautaro Martinez underwent clinical and instrumental tests today at the Humanitas Institute in Rozzano - the nerazzurri club said in a statement - The tests highlighted a muscle strain in the flexors of his left thigh." That diagnosis leaves Cristian Chivu without his captain for a stretch that now reaches past the derby.
There is some uncertainty around the length of the lay-off. One report has it at around twenty days, while another puts it at more than a month, and Sky Sport Italia also reported that Inter's recovery target is the league game against Atalanta on 22 November. The club's own line is more cautious, with a return expected after the next international break.
What Inter lose without him
The absence is not just about leadership. Lautaro has already scored 4 Serie A goals and 1 in the Champions League this season, with 5 goals across all competitions and 5 league appearances to his name. He also scored a brace against Club Brugge KV before the injury was confirmed.
That output is exactly why this hurts Inter during a run that includes domestic and European fixtures. Losing a captain is one problem. Losing the team's most direct scorer on top of that is the bigger one, and the derby date makes the setback harder to absorb.
Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →
