Inter midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu will have “little hope” of having a role to play in the first leg of the Nerazzurri’s Champions League quarterfinal tie against Benfica.
This according to today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, via FCInterNews, who report that at most the 29-year-old could perhaps expect to appear off the bench in the second half at the Estadio da Luz.
There is now more clarity on the fitness of Hakan Calhanoglu following his enforced exit from the pitch during the first half of Turkey’s EURO 2024 qualifier against Croatia on Tuesday.
The 29-year-old had to come off late in the half in visible pain, hardly a sight that Inter coach Simone Inzaghi will like to see given that the team have a packed fixture list ahead of them in April.
Yesterday Inter confirmed that Calhanoglu had suffered a strain to the adductor muscles of his right thigh, something which was revealed by tests performed by the club’s medical staff.
Broadcaster Sky Sport Italia forecasted that the 29-year-old could be out for two to three weeks as he recovers from the muscle problem.
Given that the Nerazzurri play so many matches spread across three competitions in the coming weeks, an injury of this length could pose a serious problem.
Calhanoglu has become a central player in all senses for the Nerazzurri, having made 37 appearances across all competitions for the team so far this season after establishing himself as a first-choice option in the deep-lying playmaker role.
Whilst it had always looked fairly likely that Calhanoglu would miss at least a couple of matches, the big question always concerned his availability for the Champions League tie against Benfica.
The first leg of the quarterfinal tie will be in Lisbon, in less than two weeks’ time.
According to the Gazzetta there is “little hope” that Calhanoglu can be fit for that match, and at most he may be able to make a substitute appearance.
