As Inter Milan prepare for the start of the Serie A season, coach Simone Inzaghi is taking no chances with player fitness. With the league opener against Genoa just a week away, Inzaghi aims to have all players at peak physical condition. This cautious approach means that Hakan Calhanoglu and Lautaro Martinez will not participate in the upcoming friendly against Chelsea in London.
Calhanoglu is dealing with a minor muscle issue, and while it is not a serious injury, the decision has been made to rest him as a precaution. The Turkish midfielder has been training individually to manage the slight discomfort and is expected to be fit soon.
Lautaro Martinez, who recently returned to training, is also staying in Milan to focus on reaching full match fitness. Despite his absence from the friendly, he is anticipated to be ready for the Serie A opener.
Inter’s squad for the Chelsea match will also be missing Stefan de Vrij, who is recovering from a thigh injury. Meanwhile, players like Mehdi Taremi and Piotr Zielinski are making progress in their recoveries but will not be available for the friendly.
With these absences, Inter will rely on other squad members to face Chelsea as they finalize their preseason preparations. The club remains focused on ensuring all players are ready for the competitive challenges ahead.