Inter coach Cristian Chivu announced that Alessandro Bastoni will not be available for tomorrow’s Serie A fixture against Cagliari, stating that the player is “not well.”
The Nerazzurri will have to compete without their key defender Bastoni in the upcoming Serie A match against Cagliari, which will take place at the Stadio Meazza.
Chivu confirmed the Italian defender’s exclusion during a press conference held on Thursday.
“He deserves praise as a person, despite facing physical and mental challenges. He stepped up and deserves credit,” said the Inter manager, as reported by FcInter1908.
“We should be proud of his contributions. He is dealing with a physical issue; his ankle is not at 100%. He has had very limited training over the past month and is not fully fit. We are grateful for his willingness to be available, but he is currently unwell. He will not be part of the squad tomorrow and will remain out to focus on his recovery.”
Bastoni has faced criticism from some media outlets and opposing Inter fans in recent months, following a red card incident in the Inter-Juventus match in February and another red card received at the end of March in Italy’s World Cup play-off Final against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Petar Sucic will be suspended for one game against Cagliari, while both Yann Bisseck and Lautaro Martinez are sidelined due to injuries.
“Bisseck has already resumed on-pitch training. According to the projected timeline, Lautaro is progressing as expected,” Chivu stated.
“Next week, he will increase his training intensity. Bisseck is expected back in two days, and Lautaro in seven to eight days. He is improving and doing well.”
Inter currently leads the Serie A table with a nine-point advantage over second-placed Napoli. Next week, they are scheduled to host Como in the second leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final.
“We must be proud of our achievements and maintain the same determination. We need to strive to be our best selves and secure three more points in the league,” Chivu added.
“We have consistently aimed to translate our efforts onto the field. The crucial aspect is to be mentally and physically prepared and to adapt to the opponent’s tactics. We’ve experienced both highs and lows. We performed exceptionally well in some matches and less effectively in others due to a lack of energy and the absence of players who could have made a significant difference.”
Chivu garnered attention last week following a Serie A victory against Como, where he seemed to playfully taunt rivals in the Scudetto race by stating that Inter’s primary objective was Champions League qualification.
“Many things are taken too seriously,” he argued.
“Numerous situations are distorted by personal relationships and the obligation to defend one side or the other. Some individuals misinterpreted the comments. It’s important to understand that football is a game, and it should be treated as such. Teams compete to win, but only one ultimately succeeds. One should not feel disappointed if a friend or their favored team does not reach the final goal.”
