Inter Milan received a welcome boost in midfield this week as Henrikh Mkhitaryan returned to full training after more than a month out with a muscular injury.
The Armenian midfielder was forced off early during the win at Napoli on October 25, but his recovery has gone according to plan and he is now back working with the squad.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, via FCInterNews, Cristian Chivu will decide in the next 48 hours whether to name Mkhitaryan in the squad for Sunday’s trip to Pisa.
Alternatively, the coach may wait until the Coppa Italia tie with Venezia on December 3.
Inter want to avoid unnecessary risks, but the veteran’s return arrives at a key phase of the season.
Indeed, as the Nerazzurri juggle league, cup and European commitments.
Pisa Vs Inter – Despite Good News For Mkhitaryan, Latest On Dumfries
There is less positive news for Denzel Dumfries.
The Dutch wing-back will miss the Pisa match and is currently targeting a return against Liverpool on December 9.
His condition will be monitored day by day, much like Matteo Darmian, who is also working through a minor issue.
With both senior right-sided options uncertain, Luis Henrique is expected to start again on the flank.
The Brazilian has grown in confidence with each appearance and could be handed another opportunity from the first minute.
Elsewhere, Inter should restore several regulars to the XI after rotation in recent matches.
Francesco Acerbi, Petar Sucic and Marcus Thuram are all in line to return.
Meanwhile, Lautaro Martinez leads the attack as usual.
Probable Inter (3-5-2): Sommer; Akanji, Acerbi, Bastoni; Luis Henrique, Barella, Calhanoglu, Sucic, Dimarco; Lautaro, Thuram.
LOL. Guy is covering more distance than anyone at Inter, placing him top 10 in Europe. No stranger to lead counter-attacks in late stages of the match, while playing box-to-box for 90 minutes.
In terms of fitness he is one of, if not THE best on the squad, and yet you judging by the only number, that tells nothing about performance, his age.
Indeed, this is an insult.
Go cheer for juve.
It is considered a boost that a 37-year old is coming back to be a starter??!! We are hopeless…
Totally agree. Also, it is an insult.
An insult is how the miedfield played in the last 2 matches. Barella is the only one that performed. Calhanoglu made 2 costly mistakes loosing the ball in key ares and Susic was so weak vs top teams, Fratessi was inexistent, both much younger. Actually the team is weaker when Mkhitaryan is out.
What is the use of buying 2 players for a combined fee of 37 millions and keeping inexistent Fratessi when we could get a top miedfielder for 70 millions?
Then we would not be that hopeless, with Mkhitaryan as a sub and a top miedfielder as a starter. An insult is maybe that we couldn’t get Kephren Thuram for 20 millions and Manu Kone for 18 some not that long ago…we let them go to Juve and Roma, just to be paying 50 millions for Kone this winter or in the summer.