Yesterday Lautaro Martinez captained Inter Milan in a friendly match against Lugano, seemingly marking the beginning of a new era.

This according to today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, via FCInterNews, who also report that the Nerazzurri won the behind-closed-doors friendly by a scoreline of 3-0.

Yesterday, Inter played their first friendly match of the preseason.

In a match played behind closed doors at the Nerazzurri’s training centre, they dispatched Swiss Super League side Lugano. The Swiss team are Inter’s traditional first opponent in preseason.

The Gazzetta report that Giovanni Fabbian, Stefano Sensi, and Sebastiano Espoisto got on the scoresheet in a 3-0 win.

Equally as interesting as the result, however, was one particular detail – the player wearing the captain’s armband for Inter.

Lautaro Martinez Wears The Armband For Inter Milan – New Era Begins

Inter will have a new captain next season.

Samir Handanovic has said goodbye to Inter after eleven seasons at the club.

The Slovenian departs after having worn the captain’s armband in his last four seasons and change.

Therefore, Inter will have to replace Handanovic as captain on a permanent basis.

Whilst there are a few possible candidates to replace the Slovenian in the role – for example Nicolo Barella and Federico Dimarco – Lautaro Martinez has always looked like a fairly logical candidate.

Additionally, Inter Vice-President Javier Zanetti – who had his share of experience as Inter captain – has hinted that it will be Martinez.

And now, the 25-year-old has taken what look like his first steps as permanent Inter captain.

Martinez did wear the armband plenty of times last season. Last season, the basis for deciding the captain when Handanovic did not play was to simply put the armband around whichever player has been at Inter the longest.

Therefore Martinez, who joined from Racing Club in 2018, wore it in a number of matches.

But now, it looks as though the Argentine is taking on the role on a more permanent basis.

Even if it was in the inauspicious setting of a behind-closed doors preseason friendly, the fact that Martinez was the first player to don the armband following Handanovic’s departure looks to be a significant development.

Inter will head into next season with the striker as their new captain.