Midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu is a fitness doubt for Inter Milan’s Supercoppa Italiana clash with Napoli due to slight muscle soreness.
This according to today’s print edition of Turin-based newspaper Tuttosport, via FCInterNews.
Calhanoglu started yesterday evening’s Supercoppa semifinal against Lazio.
This was little surprise considering that the 29-year-old is just about the first name on the teamsheet for Inter.
Calhhanoglu played in his usual position at the base of the Nerazzurri’s midfield trio.
The Turk scored a penalty early on in the second half.
And in the closing stages Calhanoglu came off the pitch, with Kristjan Asllani replacing him. The Albanian is the usual deputy for Calhanoglu in the regista role.
Asllani frequently comes on late in matches to replace Calhanoglu.
This both allowed Calhanoglu, a key player for Inter, to take a breather and preserve his fitness, and also gets some valuable playing time for Asllani.
Hakan Calhanoglu A Slight Doubt For Inter Vs Napoli Clash
According to Tuttosport, however, Calhanoglu was in fact feeling some muscular pain when he went off in the 81st minute yesterday.
The former AC Milan and Bayer Leverkusen had just received a booking when he came off as well.
Calhanoglu had gotten a yellow card for a late tackle on Lazio winger Gustav Isaksen.
And given that Inter coach Simone Inzaghi tends to react to players receiving yellow cards by taking them off, it seemed as though that may have played into the coach’s thinking.
But according to Tuttosport, that was not the main reason why Calhanoglu went off.
Rather, the newspaper reports, the 29-year-old indicated to the bench that he was feeling some muscular pain following the challenge on Isaksen.
And Inzaghi decided to take no risks with the midfielder’s fitness.
Therefore, there is a bit of doubt on whether Calhanoglu will be at his best for the Supercoppa final against Napoli on Monday.
