Inter Milan did not really feel the absence of Hakan Calhanoglu thanks to the performance of Kristjan Asllani against Hellas Verona.

As TuttoMercatoWeb highlight, the player ratings for the match across Italian media have been positive towards the Albanian international.

Kristjan Asllani got the start for Inter Milan against Hellas Verona.

That was not surprising as Nerazzurri coach Simone Inzaghi made a whopping ten changes to the lineup.

However, Asllani was not just starting due to squad rotation.

Even if Inzaghi had wanted to start Hakan Calhanoglu, it would have proven impossible.

The Turkish international was serving a one-match suspension due to his contacts with members of the Curva Nord ultras group.

Calhanoglu Absence Not Felt Due To Asllani Display Vs Hellas Verona

Inter Milan Hakan Calhanoglu
MUNICH, GERMANY – APRIL 08: Hakan Calhanoglu of FC Internazionale controls the ball during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Quarter Final First Leg match between FC Bayern München and FC Internazionale Milano at Fussball Arena Muenchen on April 08, 2025 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images)

So often at Inter Milan, Asllani has faced criticism for not quite giving Inter what Calhanoglu.

There is little doubt that the former Empoli has plenty of technical quality.

However, Asllani’s passing has often been too safe, and too conservative.

Calhanoglu is the player who really orchestrates Inter’s attacking rhythm. And the team can look overly mechanical when Asllani has been afraid to take risks.

However, against Verona yesterday, Asllani was actually the midfielder most proactive in trying to make things happen for Inter.