Inter Milan forward Lautaro Martinez is considered unlikely to play in the upcoming UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg against FC Barcelona. The match is scheduled for Tuesday in Milan, following a 3-3 draw in the first leg held last Wednesday in Barcelona. Inter is holding onto hope that their captain might still be available and will monitor his condition daily. Martinez suffered a muscular injury during the first leg, which led coach Simone Inzaghi to substitute him at halftime. Although Lautaro reportedly aims to be fit for the return game, if he cannot feature, Inzaghi will need alternative options to cover his absence.
The Italian club released an official update on Friday regarding the striker`s health. According to the statement, “Lautaro Martinez underwent various clinical examinations and scans this morning at the Humanitas Institute in Rozzano. These revealed an elongation of the flexor muscles in his left thigh. His condition will continue to be assessed on a daily basis.”
Potential Replacements for Lautaro
The Argentine striker has been one of Inter`s standout performers this season, scoring 21 goals in 47 appearances across all competitions. His potential absence significantly impacts Inzaghi`s strategy, especially as their other main forward, Marcus Thuram, only recently returned from his own muscular issue just before the first leg in Barcelona. Should Lautaro be unavailable, the most probable replacement in the starting eleven is Mehdi Taremi, who came on for Martinez in the second half of the first match.
Taremi`s debut season with Inter, arriving from Porto on a free transfer in Summer 2024, has been underwhelming in terms of goals (only three so far). However, his display in the latter part of the Barcelona game was promising and demonstrated his potential value to the team. With Joaquin Correa not included in the Champions League squad, Marko Arnautovic is the only other available forward option to partner Thuram.
While some have suggested Inzaghi could deploy midfielder Davide Frattesi behind Thuram in a more defensive setup, it`s highly improbable given Inzaghi`s strict adherence to his 3-5-2 formation throughout his four seasons at Inter. A tactical shift is extremely unlikely in the most crucial match of the campaign.
