Inter Milan midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu will not be risked in the club’s upcoming friendly match against Chelsea due to a slight muscle problem. This according to today’s print edition of Rome-based newspaper Corriere dello Sport, via FCInterNews. They report that there is no serious injury for the Turk but no rush for him to start in a friendly.
Inter will have a few players missing from tomorrow’s match. Defender Stefan de Vrij, for one, has picked up an injury. The thigh problem for the Dutchman occurred in the final minutes of Inter’s last friendly, against Al-Ittihad. Meanwhile, the Corriere report, striker Mehdi Taremi and midfielder Piotr Zielinski are recovering well from muscle injuries of their own – but won’t be available against Chelsea tomorrow.
Then, there is midfielder Calhanoglu. The Corriere report that the 30-year-old former AC Milan and Bayer Leverkusen midfielder has been training individually. According to the newspaper, Calhanoglu has been dealing with a slight nagging muscle problem. However, this is no worry. It is just a slight twinge that Calhanoglu can shake off in a couple of days. Nevertheless, the Corriere reports, Inter certainly won’t risk Calhanoglu from the start tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Inter captain Lautaro Martinez will be part of the squad tomorrow. The Argentine returned to training for the Nerazzurri last week. He is pushing to reach full match fitness in time for the team’s Serie A opener against Genoa. Therefore, there is every chance that Martinez will start in attack alongside Marcus Thuram tomorrow.
Injury Update
There are yet more injury problems for Inter ahead of Sunday’s pre-season friendly with Chelsea, as Hakan Calhanoglu is struggling too. The Nerazzurri have been beset by muscular issues during the summer as they prepare to defend their title as reigning Champions of Italy. Mehdi Taremi, Mark Arnautovic, Piotr Zielinski and Stefan de Vrij are already out of action following injuries sustained in training or in friendly matches. Now Calhanoglu is not training with his teammates, doing a personalised session separate from the rest of the squad today. It is considered just a precaution, but it is also possible he could be left behind to work on his fitness when the team travels to London for Sunday’s encounter with Chelsea. Coach Simone Inzaghi will make the final decision, but Calhanoglu resumed training fairly late due to his participation at EURO 2024 with Turkey. Inter begin their competitive season with a trip to Genoa on Saturday August 17.
Calhanoglu Expected to be Fit for Serie A Opener
Despite the injury concerns, Hakan Calhanoglu is expected to be fit for Inter Milan’s Serie A opener against Genoa next season. This according to today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, via FCInterNews. They also report that defender Stefan de Vrij will be out with a thigh injury.
Inter are now just one week away from the start of their Serie A season. The Nerazzurri begin their title trip with a trip to Liguria to face Genoa. There will be a few players out with injury. Mehdi Taremi and Marko Arnautovic could be in the squad, but Piotr Zielinski is not likely to he. Meanwhile, the Gazzetta confirm that defender de Vrij will miss out. The 32-year-old former Lazio defender picked up a thigh strain during the closing minutes of Inter’s friendly defeat against Al-Ittihad. The Gazzetta report that de Vrij should be able to return to action before the end of September. However, a call-up against Genoa would be out of the question for the Dutchman.
Then, there is a bit of a concern regarding Calhanoglu. However, the Gazzetta report, it should not keep the Turkish international out of the league opener. Calhanoglu has been feeling a bit of muscular discomfort. The former AC Milan and Bayer Leverkusen midfielder has been training individually as he looks to quickly put the problem behind him. The Gazzetta confirm that Calhanoglu is not likely to feature against Chelsea tomorrow. Inter travel to London to face the Blues in their final preseason friendly match. It is not as though they will want to risk the fitness of a player like Calhanoglu in that match. However, Calhanoglu does not have a serious injury. The 30-year-old will be able to recover from his issue well in time for the start of the Serie A season.
A Race Against Time for Calhanoglu
Inter Milan are hopeful that midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu will be fit for the Serie A opener against Genoa, despite suffering a minor muscle injury. The Nerazzurri are taking a cautious approach with the Turkish international, who is unlikely to be risked in their final pre-season friendly against Chelsea.
Calhanoglu has been training individually in recent days to work on his fitness and recover from the injury. The midfielder resumed training fairly late due to his participation at EURO 2024 with Turkey, and his current issue is considered just a precaution. However, with the start of the Serie A season just around the corner, Inter are looking to manage Calhanoglu's workload carefully to ensure he is ready for the challenging campaign ahead. While there is no doubt that Calhanoglu is a vital player for Inter, the club will not take any unnecessary risks with his fitness. The decision on whether or not he will feature against Chelsea will be made by Coach Simone Inzaghi, who will weigh the importance of the friendly against the need to ensure Calhanoglu is fully recovered for the Serie A opener.
Inter will be hoping that Calhanoglu will be back to full fitness in time for their first league game against Genoa on Saturday, August 17th.
