Lautaro Martinez faces weeks out with thigh strain

Inter captain Lautaro Martinez is expected to be sidelined for several weeks after suffering an injury in the Champions League match against Club Brugge, putting his availability for the Milan derby on October 31 at risk.

The Argentine striker was injured on Tuesday during Inter’s 4-3 defeat to Club Brugge, despite scoring twice in the match, CE Report quotes Kosova Press.

The Italian club confirmed that Martinez had suffered a muscle strain in his left thigh following medical tests conducted on Thursday morning.

“Lautaro Martinez underwent clinical and instrumental tests today at the Humanitas Institute in Rozzano,” the club said in a statement. “The tests revealed a muscle strain in the muscles of his left thigh.”

According to Italian media reports, injuries of this type typically require at least two weeks of recovery, although the absence can last three weeks or longer in some cases.

As a result, the 28-year-old striker is expected to miss Saturday’s match against Bologna and the Champions League fixture against Shakhtar Donetsk. He could also miss matches against Fiorentina and Venezia, as well as the Milan derby on October 31.

Inter will try to get their captain fit in time for the derby, but reports from Italy suggest that the chances of a timely recovery are slim. The match against Atalanta, scheduled for November 22, is considered a more realistic target for his return.

In Martinez’s absence, Inter coach is expected to rely on Marcus Thuram, Pio Esposito and Ange-Yoan Bonny in attack.

The captain’s injury comes at a difficult time for Inter, who suffered an unexpected Champions League defeat and now risk being without one of their most important players for a series of crucial matches this season.

Photo: Instagram/lautaromartinez