Martinez Injury Casts Doubt on Inter Milan's Barcelona Tie

Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez likely to miss Champions League semi-final against Barcelona due to hamstring injury.

Inter Milan captain Lautaro Martinez is likely to miss the second leg of their Champions League semi-final against Barcelona due to a hamstring injury. He was replaced at halftime in the first leg, which ended in a 3-3 draw.

Coach Simone Inzaghi expressed doubts about Martinez's fitness for the return clash at the San Siro, scheduled for next Tuesday. Inter Milan will likely rely on Mehdi Taremi to deputise for Martinez if he can't recover in time. Benjamin Pavard is another key player sidelined for Inter Milan.

Lautaro Martinez's conditions

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Barcelona, on the other hand, will be without Jules Kounde, who suffered a knee injury during the first leg. Additionally, Robert Lewandowski and Alejandro Balde are prioritizing their return for the match against Real Madrid in La Liga's title race, making their participation in the second leg against Inter Milan unlikely.

Inter Milan confirmed that Lautaro Martinez has suffered a hamstring strain, but the extent of the injury remains unclear. The team's leading scorer, who has netted 21 goals in all competitions, including eight in the Champions League, was replaced at halftime in the first leg against Barcelona.

Reports from Italy suggest Martinez will be out for at least a week, which would rule him out of Saturday's Serie A match against Verona and the crucial Champions League semifinal leg against Barcelona. Coach Simone Inzaghi expressed doubts about Martinez's availability for the Barcelona match after he was substituted in the first leg.

Martinez's absence would be a significant blow to Inter Milan's chances in both competitions. The team relies heavily on his goal-scoring ability, and his replacement would need to step up in his absence.