Inter Milan forward Lautaro Martínez sidelined due to calf injury

Serie A frontrunners Inter Milan will be without their captain Lautaro Martínez for an extended period.

Martínez exited the match in the 61st minute during Inter’s 3-1 defeat to Bodo/Glimt in the first leg of the Champions League playoff round on Wednesday. The Argentine forward underwent examinations on Friday that revealed an issue with his left calf, ruling him out for at least Saturday’s match against Lecce.

Although Inter has not specified a precise recovery timeline, reports from Italy indicate he may be out for as long as a month.

This absence would see Martínez miss the return fixture against Bodo on Tuesday, along with a Serie A encounter with Genoa and the first leg of the Coppa Italia semifinal against Como. He is also likely to be unavailable for the significant derby against second-placed AC Milan on March 8.

Martínez has netted 18 goals across all competitions for the San Siro side, helping them reach the top of Serie A.

“Lautaro Martínez underwent clinical and instrumental tests this morning at the Istituto Clinico Humanitas in Rozzano,” an Inter statement indicated.

“The tests showed a strain to the soleus muscle in his left calf. The condition of the Argentine forward will be re-evaluated next week.”

Inter’s six-match winning streak came to an unexpected end on Wednesday with their loss to the Norwegian side Bodo.

Inter will look to bounce back against struggling Lecce, having narrowly secured a 1-0 victory over the same team at San Siro last month, thanks to a late winner from Pio Esposito in the 78th minute.

Head coach Christian Chivu urged for composure following the defeat at Bodo, noting that Inter remains in a strong domestic position with a seven-point lead over AC Milan, though the Romanian coach may consider Tuesday’s return match when deciding his lineup for Lecce.

“Now we need to regroup,” Chivu stated on the official club website. “We have several issues from this game that we must address carefully.”

“We need to face Lecce and then prepare for the return leg on Tuesday. We must evaluate our physical condition.”

Lecce currently sits 17th in Serie A but achieved a 2-0 victory at Cagliari on Monday, maintaining a three-point cushion above the relegation zone.

PA contributed to this report.