Lautaro and Lewandowski Injury Updates: What They Mean for Inter vs Barcelona Clash.
Lautaro and Lewandowski Injury Updates: Will They Be Fit for Inter vs Barcelona Second Leg?
Inter and Barcelona fans are anxiously awaiting clarity on the fitness of Lautaro Martinez and Robert Lewandowski ahead of Tuesday’s decisive Champions League semifinal second leg.
Both clubs shared injury updates on their key forwards on Friday. Lautaro picked up a thigh injury during Wednesday’s first-leg clash against Barcelona, while Lewandowski missed the match entirely due to a muscle issue sustained nearly two weeks ago.
Barcelona boss Hansi Flick delivered a positive update on Lewandowski, stating the striker’s recovery is progressing faster than expected. Flick confirmed there’s a possibility the Polish international could return in time for the second leg at San Siro.
Meanwhile, Inter issued a medical update revealing that Lautaro has suffered an elongation of the flexor muscles in his left thigh. The club stated his condition would be assessed daily. Head coach Simone Inzaghi did not speak to the press ahead of Saturday’s Serie A match against Hellas Verona.
According to multiple Italian outlets, including Corriere della Sera, Lautaro is pushing to be fit—at least enough to make the bench on Tuesday. However, reports from Sky Italia and Corriere caution that the type of injury he’s dealing with typically requires one to two weeks of recovery, putting his availability in serious doubt.
Inzaghi is expected to rotate his squad for the Verona match, resting Marcus Thuram and starting Marko Arnautovic alongside Joaquin Correa. Notably, Correa won’t be available for the Champions League fixture, as he is not registered in Inter’s UEFA squad.
Lautaro remains Inter’s top scorer this season with 21 goals in 47 appearances across all competitions.
