<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/inter/">Inter Milan</a> are set to host the second leg of the UEFA Champions League semifinals against FC Barcelona in what promises to be one of the most thrilling fixtures of the 2024–25 season. The excitement in Milan is building, especially after confirmation that one of the team’s key players has recovered from injury and will be available for selection.



Inter started strong in the first leg at the Montjuic Olympic Stadium, jumping to a 2–0 lead. However, they couldn’t maintain control, ultimately settling for a 3–3 draw. With everything on the line in Tuesday’s decisive match, the Italian side received welcome news regarding a star’s fitness.



Inter Milan star <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/lautaro/">Lautaro Martinez</a> has recovered from his injury, and will be available to play against Barcelona. The Argentine forward suffered a left thigh strain in the first half of the first leg and was substituted at halftime. 



On Monday, head coach Simone Inzaghi offered an update during his pre-match press conference: “Lautaro hasn’t trained since the match against <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/barcelona/">Barcelona</a>—we’ll see how he is today. It depends on how he feels. A player who can’t start from the beginning will likely struggle to help us in the final 25 minutes.”



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Martínez quickly gave the coaching staff reasons for optimism. During the team’s training session later that day, the striker completed the full workout, including match simulations alongside fellow forward Marcus Thuram. All signs now point to the duo being ready to lead Inter’s attack on Tuesday.


 <div class="wp_fsn_relatedlinks" use="ALSO" link="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/coach-inzaghi-warns-inter-players-about-lamine-yamal-ahead-of-champions-league-clash-vs-barcelona/" image="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.worldsoccertalk.com%2Fwebp%2Ffull%2FWST_20250505_WST_568356_lamine-yamal-barcelona-inter.webp&amp;width=200&amp;height=200" excerpt="Ahead of the second leg of the Champions League semifinals against FC Barcelona, head coach Simone Inzaghi issued a warning to his Inter Milan players about Lamine Yamal.
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<h2>Lautaro, Inter’s talisman in the Champions League</h2>



Although Lautaro’s domestic form has dipped—scoring just 12 goals in 31 Serie A appearances—he’s delivered when it matters most in Europe. This season, he has 8 goals in 12 <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/champions-league/">Champions League</a> matches, placing him fifth in the tournament’s scoring chart.



Beyond that, Martínez has become Inter’s all-time leading scorer in the Champions League, surpassing Brazilian icon Adriano with 20 goals. With a place in the final at stake, the Argentine will have the chance to solidify his reputation as Inter’s go-to player on the European stage.

Inter receive huge boost after star recovers from injury ahead of Champions League semifinal vs. Barcelona

Inter receive huge boost after star recovers from injury ahead of Champions League semifinal vs. Barcelona - World Soccer Talk

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<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/lautaro/">Lautaro Martínez</a> has raised alarm bells after being substituted at halftime of <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/inter-milan/">Inter Milan</a>‘s draw against FC Barcelona in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-finals. The Italian side ended up drawing against a strong opponent. The Argentine captain is one of the main figures for Simone Inzaghi’s team, and his absence would be devastating.



Ahead of the return leg at the Giuseppe Meazza, “El Toro” will be unable to play due to a muscular injury. Medical tests confirmed the worst. “The Argentine striker suffered a strain in the flexors of his left thigh,“ reported the result of the MRI.



<h2>Martinez ruled out, Taremi likely to replace</h2>



Although the exact length of his absence has not been revealed, the Italian club has stated that the Nerazzurri’s all-time leading foreign scorer “will be evaluated day by day.” As a result, it is very likely that Inzaghi will replace him with Iranian striker Mehdi Taremi, as occurred in the first match.



“El Toro” has been injured before, however, there is always concern when your star player is being checked on by physicians constantly. Hopefully Martinez can return to the sport as soon as possible, because soccer fans miss the legend.



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<h2>Pavard’s recovery a boost</h2>



While Inter Milan will be without Lautaro Martínez, they are hoping for the return of Benjamin Pavard, who missed the first leg due to a sprained ankle suffered against AS Roma in Serie A. Everything will depend on his progress to determine whether he will be available on Tuesday. His presence would certainly lift the squad, and potentially lead to a positive result.



<h2>Barcelona vs. Inter: The return leg</h2>



Following the match in Catalonia, the teams will face each other again on Tuesday, May 6th at 3PM. More than 80,000 spectators are expected to enjoy the return leg at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium.

Good news for Barcelona: Inter Milan's star player to miss Champions League return match

Good news for Barcelona: Inter Milan's star player to miss Champions League return match - World Soccer Talk

<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/chelsea/">Chelsea</a> have been one of the surprise packages in the 2024-25 Premier League season, with new coach Enzo Maresca quickly assembling a competitive side in less than six months. As they aim to elevate their squad to the next level, reports suggest that Chelsea are preparing a three-player swap deal, plus cash, to secure Inter Milan’s star forward <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/lautaro/">Lautaro Martinez</a>.



One of Chelsea’s key issues this season has been the lack of a consistent striker to lead the line. La Masia graduate Marc Guiu has struggled to make an impact, while starting No. 9 Nicolas Jackson offers versatility due to his pace but lacks the physical presence and link-up play Maresca demands from his frontman. 



According to Argentine outlet El Grafico, Chelsea are prepared to offer <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/inter-milan/">Inter</a> three players—Carney Chukwuemeka, Benoit Badiashile, and Mykhailo Mudryk—along with a cash sum to tempt the Italian club into parting with their talisman Lautaro Martinez.



The three Chelsea players are in a difficult situation at London. Chukwuemeka is reportedly seeking an exit due to limited playing opportunities, while Badiashile has found himself relegated to a backup role in Maresca’s setup. Mudryk’s inclusion is more complex, as the Ukrainian winger is currently serving a ban after testing positive in a routine drugs test.



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Team coach <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/enzo-maresca/">Maresca</a> seems to be looking for a striker in the transfer market, to the point that he highly praised Ipswich Town star Liam Delap, who coached at Manchester City. “Working hard off the ball, on the ball he understands the game and he can score goals. Because of his age, I think he can be an important player for England,” said about the striker, hinting at some important features he looks in a striker.


 <div class="wp_fsn_relatedlinks" use="ALSO" link="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/exodus-begins-chelsea-leaves-door-open-to-60m-signing-amid-limited-minutes-under-enzo-maresca/" image="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.worldsoccertalk.com%2Fwebp%2Ffull%2FWST_20241220_WST_545016_Enzo-Maresca-Chelsea.webp&amp;width=200&amp;height=200" excerpt="Coach Enzo Maresca has left the door open for the departure of a $60M Chelsea signing, citing a lack of playing time as the January transfer window approaches.
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<h2>Inter’s reluctance to sell Martinez</h2>



Since joining Inter Milan in 2018, Lautaro Martinez has cemented his place as one of the most prolific strikers in world football. His performances last season earned him a seventh-place finish in the Ballon d’Or voting, following a standout 2023-24 campaign where he helped Inter win <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/serie-a/">Serie A</a> and lifted the Copa America with Argentina.



However, the current season has seen a dip in his form. Martinez has managed just one goal in six UEFA Champions League appearances and six goals in 15 Serie A matches—significantly lower than the 24 goals he netted in 33 league games last season, where he was the top goal scorer.



Despite this decline, persuading Inter to sell Martinez will require more than Chelsea’s current offer. The Italian club is reluctant to part ways with their captain, who remains central to their project despite recent financial challenges to sign players. For Martinez himself, he has settled comfortably in Italy, making a move away from his comfort zone less likely.

Three players and cash for Lautaro Martinez: Chelsea reportedly planning big offer for Inter star

Chelsea reportedly planning three-player swap plus cash for Inter star Lautaro Martinez - World Soccer Talk

Chelsea reportedly planning three-player swap plus cash for Inter star Lautaro Martinez

New negotiations for Romelu Lukaku’s summer <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/juventus-persuade-chelsea-loan-lukaku-option-permanent-deal/blt5cecd4ac64ba9412" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">transfer to Juventus</a> from Chelsea are imminent.



The Old Lady is reportedly still interested in signing Romelu Lukaku. The Serie A powerhouse is stepping up its pursuit of the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/chelsea-tv-schedule/">Chelsea</a> striker during the current transfer window. This summer, the Belgian international is worth $44 million to the Blues.



After spending last year on loan at <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/inter-milan-tv-schedule/">Inter</a>, Lukaku has garnered interest from many Italian teams, including the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza side. However, after learning of the Belgian’s discussions with their arch-rivals, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/juventus-tv-schedule/">Juventus</a>, Inter decided to <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/inter-pull-out-of-lukaku-deal-for-bizarre-reason-20230715-WST-443499.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">end their pursuit of the veteran striker</a>.



<h5>Juventus contact angered Nerazzurri&nbsp;</h5>



A single choice, such as contacting Juve, may have far-reaching consequences for Lukaku now. The Chelsea forward failed to improve under Simone Inzaghi’s wing, as he had an injury-plagued season back at Inter on loan from Chelsea.



Nonetheless, he contributed to several key goals in the second part of the 2022/23 campaign. As a result, this summer, he was expected to return there permanently.



Despite Inter’s best efforts, they were unable to bring the ace back on a permanent $44 million transfer. The Belgian player ignored the club’s offer and didn’t return their phone calls. Even his former teammates sought to get in touch with Lukaku, now 30, to find out what was going on.



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<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">🗣️ Lautaro Martinez on Romelu Lukaku&apos;s failed move to Inter: “Lukaku? I was disappointed, it’s the truth. “I also tried to call him in those days of chaos, he never answered me, the same with my other teammates. "After so many years together, after so many things lived… <a href="https://t.co/wzy8OCx3nD">pic.twitter.com/wzy8OCx3nD</a>— SPORTbible (@sportbible) <a href="https://twitter.com/sportbible/status/1684484384231940096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 27, 2023</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<h2>Lautaro Martinez blasts former Inter teammate Lukaku</h2>



Lautaro Martinez, who has played alongside Lukaku in the striking position for three of the previous four seasons at Inter Milan, says he made an effort to get through to his former teammate. However, none of it helped.



“I was disappointed, it’s the truth. I also tried to call him in those days of chaos, he never answered me. The same he did with my other companions. After so many years together, after so many things lived together, I was disappointed. Thankfully, it’s his choice. I wish him the best”, Martinez made the startling revelation during an explosive interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport.



PHOTO: IMAGO / Sports Press Photo

Lautaro addresses Lukaku Inter snub with sharp comment

New Inter Milan captain Lautaro Martinez has lashed out at his ex-teammate, Romelu Lukaku, for considering a move to Juventus.

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