Inter Milan Face Verona Without Key Players Lautaro Martinez and Hakan Calhanoglu

Inter Milan is set to face Hellas Verona in their upcoming Serie A fixture, but will be missing two of their key players, Lautaro Martinez and Hakan Calhanoglu. The match, slated for 14:00 GMT at the Stadio Marc’Antonio Bentegodi, poses challenges for Inter manager Simone Inzaghi as he navigates through these absences.

Hakan Calhanoglu aggravated a thigh injury during his recent outing with the Turkish national team, rendering him unavailable for selection. Similarly, Lautaro Martinez, who returned from international duty, will also sit out, having flown back home earlier today. This forces Inzaghi to adjust his lineup, partnering Joaquin Correa with Marcus Thuram in attack. The midfield will see Kristjan Asllani joined by a returning Carlos Augusto.

Opponents Hellas Verona have shown unpredictability this season, pulling off impressive victories against teams like Napoli and Roma, but they also come into this match on the back of eight losses, with no draws. Verona’s lineup will be without Ondrej Duda, who is sidelined for a month due to a thigh strain. This adds to the list of injured players such as Diego Coppola, Juan Manuel Cruz, and Martin Fröser. Nevertheless, Pawel Dawidowicz’s return to defense could bolster their lineup.

Verona has struggled defensively, conceding an average of 2.25 goals per game, which could be problematic against Inter’s potent offensive force. Despite leading the attack with insuficient shots on target, Tengstedt, a Benfica loanee, has shown potential by scoring four goals for Verona this season.

As the Serie A standings tighten, both teams have much at stake. Inter Milan, trailing by two points from the top, is keen to continue their title defense. Having previously held a commendable record at the Bentegodi, Inter will seek to capitalize on this, even as Verona strives to leverage their home-ground advantage.