The condition of Inter Milan captain Lautaro Martinez is improving ahead of Friday’s match against Atalanta, but he will not start.
This according to today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, via FCInterNews.
Inter captain Martinez was not in the squad for last weekend’s match against Lecce.
The Argentine was absent due to a muscle problem.
Martinez had picked up the issue in training following his start in Inter’s season opener away to Genoa.
The Nerazzurri captain had made a late return to training. He had in fact been the last player in the Inter squad to join up with the preseason training camp.
This was the result of Martinez having won the Copa America with Argentine.
Reaching all the way to the final with the Albiceleste meant that Martinez was in action until the middle of last month.
As such, Martinez’s vacation extended into August. Even though he cut his holiday short by a couple days, he was still only able to return a little over a week before the start of the season.
Lautaro Martinez Won’t Be Fit To Start Inter Vs Atalanta Despite Improving Condition
Martinez did not look at his best in Inter’s opener against Genoa. There was an evident lack of sharpness to the captain’s performance.
Therefore, the muscle problem was not altogether a surprise.
However, Martinez has been doing what he can to get back to fitness soon.
The Gazzetta report that the improvements in Martinez’s condition are quite evident.
There is no worry about the captain’s fitness for the long term. He is just shaking off a minor muscular problem resulting from a less-than-ideal preseason.
However, it is not as though Martinez will be ready to rush right back to the starting eleven.
Rather, the Gazzetta report, the Argentine will at most be ready to start on the bench against Atalanta on Friday.
Mehdi Taremi and Marcus Thuram will start that match as they had done against Lecce.
