There is real hope that Inter midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu will return from his thigh injury in time for the team’s Serie A match against Monza this Saturday.
This according to today’s print edition of Turin-based newspaper Tuttosport, via FCInterNews, who report that the 29-year-old Turkish international could be fit for the weekend, whilst there is less hope for a return of Milan Skriniar.
Calhanoglu has been absent for the last four matches for Inter, having picked up a thigh strain during the international break.
The 29-year-old suffered the injury during the Turkish national team’s EURO 2024 qualifying match against Croatia, and has been expected to be out for two or three weeks whilst recovering from the issue with the adductor muscles in his right thigh.
Whilst the Nerazzurri were able to grab a 2-0 win over Benfica in the Champions League in Calhanoglu’s absence, with Marcelo Brozovic outstanding in the deep-lying playmaker role, there is no doubt that the Turk is a player Simone Inzaghi will want back as soon as possible.
Inter are still just four matches into a packed April schedule, with five more to go, and things will not get much less hectic in May.
In this respect, the team could get a big boost in the form of a Calhanoglu return on the horizon.
The Gazzetta report that there is hope that the midfielder, who has so far made a total of 37 appearances for Inter across all competitions this season, can return for at least a substitute appearance against Monza over the weekend.
Then, the aim would be to have the 29-year-old closer to full match-fitness for next week’s Champions League quarterfinal second leg against Benfica.
Meanwhile, there is less hope of Skriniar returning on Saturday.
The Slovakian continues to be out with a back injury which has been affecting him since before the international break, and the Gazzetta report that the club are not hopeful of having him back against Monza.
