Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martínez has been sidelined after suffering a muscle strain in his left thigh, casting major doubt over his availability for the club’s decisive Champions League semi-final second leg against Barcelona.
The Argentine felt discomfort during the first half of the first-leg clash at Camp Nou and didn’t return after the break. Medical tests carried out at the Humanitas Institute in Rozzano confirmed that Martínez is dealing with an elongation of the flexor muscles in his left thigh—an injury less severe than a tear but still concerning enough to potentially rule him out for at least a week.
That timeline makes it highly unlikely that he’ll recover in time for the return leg at San Siro, set for Tuesday, May 6. Inter’s medical staff continue to monitor his condition, but coach Simone Inzaghi isn’t optimistic. He admitted the risk was always there, especially with the number of games Martínez has played in recent weeks.
In his absence, Mehdi Taremi is expected to step in once again after replacing Martínez during the second half in Barcelona. However, Taremi hasn’t exactly been prolific this season, with just three goals to his name across all competitions—raising concerns about Inter's attacking threat in such a crucial fixture.
Martínez is also set to miss Inter’s upcoming Serie A clash with Hellas Verona on Sunday, May 4. The team is desperate for a turnaround, having failed to win in their last five outings, including defeats to Roma and Bologna. Losing their top scorer at this stage couldn’t have come at a worse time.
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