Inter´s Martinez set for short spell on sidelines

Lautaro Martinez is set to miss Inter’s Serie A meeting with Hellas Verona on Saturday, and could also be out of their Champions League semi-final second leg.

Inter confirmed Martinez suffered a thigh injury on Friday, after he was taken off at half-time in their 3-3 draw with Barcelona in Wednesday’s first leg.

The Argentina international is not expected to be out for a long period, with Sky Sport Italia reporting he could only be out for around a week.

“Lautaro Martinez had various clinical and instrumental examinations this morning at the Humanitas Institute in Rozzano,” Inter said in a statement.

“It was found that the Argentine forward has an elongation of the flexor muscles in his left thigh. His conditions will continue to be reviewed day by day.”

In the three Serie A games that Martinez has not played in this season, Inter have a 100% winning record (three games), with the team managing nine goals across those wins without him.

The Nerazzurri go into the game with Verona having lost their last two league games against Roma and Bologna without scoring. They have not lost three consecutive Serie A matches since April 2023.

Across all competitions, they are winless in five outings (drawn three, lost two), having also been knocked out of the Coppa Italia in recent weeks.

April and May are the two months in which Simone Inzaghi’s teams have historically suffered the most defeats in Serie A (12 in each month).

However, they have beaten Verona 41 times in Serie A, and their opponents have never beaten them at San Siro.

The Nerazzurri are second in Serie A, three points behind leaders Napoli, who could open the gap to six points before Inter kick off against Verona.