Striker Marko Arnautovic is still in the hunt for his first goal in an Inter Milan shirt after coming back from a thigh injury.
Today’s print edition of Turin-based newspaper Tuttosport, via FCInterNews, highlight the significance of the Austrian’s timely comeback.
This season is not Arnautovic’s first at Inter.
On the contrary, the 34-year-old had been a Nerazzurri player during the 2009-10 season.
That was, of course, the one in which Inter won the European Treble.
And this was an accomplishment that Arnautovic got to celebrate with his ten-teammates. But truthfully, the striker himself would be the first to admit he played virtually no part in it.
So restricted was Anautovic’s impact in his first go round at Inter that he did not even notch a goal.
Obviously, when Inter signed Arnautovic from Bologna in the summer, they expected that this would change.
Marko Arnautovic Targeting First Ever Inter Goal With Injury Behind Him
Early on this season, Arnautovic did show some positive signs.
Perhaps the clearest was the assist that the former West Ham United and Stoke City striker notched for Lautaro Martinez in Inter’s Serie A opener against Monza.
But the thigh injury that Arnautovic picked up in September was very unfortunately-timed.
The muscle strain has very much disrupted the striker’s momentum.
But now the 34-year-old is back and ready to get on the pitch.
Arnautovic will not start this evening’s Champions League group stage match away to Red Bull Salzburg in his native Austria.
But there is every chance of seeing him off the bench already this evening.
And there will be plenty of opportunities to come for Arnautovic.
He should certainly be in store for chances to play both as a starter and as a substitute.
And this will mean opportunities to finally notch that elusive goal in an Inter shirt.
But more than that, the Austrian will be hungry to show that now, in his second spell at Inter, he can make a meaningful contribution in the team’s hunt for trophies.
