Former Inter Milan midfielder Borja Valero doesn’t believe that the Nerazzurri are overly dependent on club captain Lautaro Martinez.
The Argentine made his return to the starting lineup against Hellas Verona on Saturday after missing the previous two contests through injury.
The 26-year-old marked his return by scoring the opener. He kept his cool in front of goal before placing a low shot at the bottom corner with the outside of his foot.
While Inter thought they were in for an easy ride against their struggling visitors, it was anything but.
Thomas Henry came off the bench to equalize the scoring in the second half. However, Davide Frattesi emerged as the hero for the Nerazzurri with an injury-time winner much to the delight of the Inter Milan fans in attendance at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium.
Nevertheless, Simone Inzaghi’s men had to survive a late scare when referee Michael Fabbri awarded Verona a penalty kick following a VAR review. Luckily for Inter, Henry hit the post, ending the match in a 2-1 victory for the home side.
For his part, Valero admits that the Beneamata needed the services of the returning Martinez, but he feels that it isn’t fair to say that the team is dependent on the 2022 World Cup winner.
“Inter needed Lautaro. They are aware of the importance of this contest. Those were three important points,” said the retired midfielder during his appearance at DAZN via FcInter1908.
“Now Juve must respond. Direct clashes are important but these matches with the small teams can make the difference.
“They are very important points, they would have been two draws in a row for Inter, prompting a difficult moment.
Borja Valero Doesn’t Believe Inter Milan Are Dependent On Lautaro Martinez
“In the end, they brought it home, albeit with many difficulties. There are ups and downs in any campaign, but it was important to win.
“These ‘dirty’ games give you confidence, the duel with Juve will drag on until the end.
“Are Inter Lautaro dependent? That’s an exaggerated statement. The others also tried to give their best.
“Arnautovic misfired while Sanchez isn’t producing much now, but saying that Inter are Lautaro dependent would be too much.”
Valero signed for the Nerazzurri in the summer of 2017 following a memorable spell at Fiorentina.
The Spaniard then returned to Florence for a second stint after ending his time with the Nerazzurri.
The 38-year-old hung his boots last summer following a spell at CS Lebowski.
