Managing the minutes of captain and striker Lautaro Martinez has proven to be crucial for Inter Milan so far this season.

Today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, via FCInterNews, highlight this dynamic.

26-year-old Argentine international Martinez has become a player who fans and pundits have run out of superlatives for.

With his fourteen goals so far this season, the former Racing Club man has been Inter’s main man without question.

And Martinez provides more than just goals. The 26-year-old’s linkup play has also gotten the best out of his teammates, particularly Marcus Thuram.

And Martinez’s tracking back and pressing from the front have set the tone for the team defensively.

These attributes, combined with the Argentine’s loyalty and leadership, made him a natural candidate to inherit the captian’s armband from Samir Handanovic in the summer.

But as the Gazzetta note, there is also another aspect of Martinez’s performances that has proven key.

Management Of Lautaro Martinez Minutes Key For Inter

Martinez is a player who is virtually never out with an injury.

And moreover, the 26-year-old is a player whose level rarely seems to drop off much.

Apart from a flat match here or there, Martinez is able to play week in and week out, and meet the expectations and standards that he has created for himself.

This is a key reason why the Argentine has managed to be so prolific in front of goal.

And also why he has become such a fundamental feature of Inter’s play.

But even a player as durable as Martinez needs a rest once in a while.

Certainly, Inter would not want to risk overusing their captain – the possibility of a major injury or serious slowdown in form as a result of playing too much is hardly one the team want to think about.

So Martinez has occasionally dropped to the bench.

And when he has, the 26-year-old has still more than made his contribution.

Inter coach Simone Inzaghi left Martinez out of the starting eleven for matches against Salernitana and Red Bull Salzburg.

Then when the coach needed a goal, he threw his captain on. In both cases, Martinez delivered.

With even just the occasional rest, therefore, the Inter captain can be decisive even when he doesn’t play from the start.