Hakan Calhanoglu and Juan Cuadrado are out of the UCL opener against Real Sociedad. The Nerazzurri suffer a big blow as the Turkish midfielder is a key player for their team. Calhanoglu has muscle fatigue in the adductor of his left thigh and could be out for a while. His absence will leave a big hole in the midfield, but Simone Inzaghi has a couple of replacements who will have to step up. Kristjan Asllani was brought to fill in these situations and Inzaghi is confident that he is ready for this challenge.
Another player that Simone Inzaghi would miss tonight is Juan Cuadrado. The Colombian defender gives the Italian manager a different dimension on the right flank. Also, this allows Dumfries to get some rest for the match on the weekend. But Matteo Darmian can also fill in on the right if Pavard comes at the right center back position. Inter will miss the former Juve defender’s flair and attacking prowess from the right.
Calhanoglu and Cuadrado out of UCL clash against Real Sociedad
Simone Inzaghi has another option in the midfield. Davide Frattesi has been knocking consistently with his impressive performances. So he could operate in Mkhitaryan’s position and the Armenian midfielder can play at number 6. Mkhitaryan has the quality to ping long balls and remain calm under pressure. But Inter would hope that Asllani is ready for the game. The Nerazzurri believed in him by rejecting offers from other clubs in the summer. Or both Asllani and Frattesi can start, which would be a bold move.
The Nerazzurri have been in excellent run of form off late so they would hope these changes will not hinder their momentum. Pavard and Augusto could also start in this game to cover for the tired legs after the Milan derby.
