Inter defender Stefan de Vrij trained individually in today’s session after picking up an ankle injury during the team’s Serie A match against Monza on Saturday evening.
This according to Italian broadcaster Sky Sport Italia, via FCInterNews, who report that the Dutchman will miss Wednesday evening’s Champions League quarterfinal second leg clash with Benfica through injury, as will Milan Skriniar.
De Vrij started on Saturday evening in Inter’s 0-1 San Siro loss to Monza at the San Siro, playing the entire first half and then the first few minutes of the second.
However, the 31-year-old was clearly struggling following a challenge for the ball with Monza wingback Carlos Augusto, after which he attempted to play on for a couple minutes but was clearly unable to do so.
According to Sky, de Vrij worked individually in today’s session as he was not deemed to be ready to make a full return to training with the rest of the squad.
The broadcaster reports that the former Lazio and Feyenoord defender’s injury is not a very serious one, but that no risks were taken as far as a premature return to training.
Moreover, in Wednesday’s Champions League return leg against Benfica, de Vrij will also be absent from the squad almost certainly as he recovers from his injury.
It was always probable that Francesco Acerbi will be the player to start in the centre of defense anyway, as the 35-year-old has been first-choice for much of the season in big matches, but de Vrij should not even be available from the bench.
Meanwhile, another defender will be out with injury in the form of Skriniar who continues to work to get over a back problem.
The Slovakian has missed all of Inter’s matches since February 25 with the injury apart from a brief cameo appearance against Porto in the Champions League, in addition to missing out on the international break with Slovakia.
