Inter Milan face a key step in their title charge against Cagliari without one of their most decisive players: Lautaro Martinez.
The Argentine striker is ruled out with a calf strain in his left leg, forcing him to miss a fixture that has historically brought out the best in him. His absence is particularly notable given his outstanding record against the Sardinian side.
Inter head into matchday 32 at the Giuseppe Meazza with a clear objective: take another decisive step towards the Scudetto.
The Nerazzurri hold a nine-point lead at the top with just six matches remaining, managing the final stretch of the season with confidence and control.
Cagliari, meanwhile, arrive in improved form after ending an eight-game winless run. They remain locked in the relegation battle but currently sit six points above the drop zone, giving them renewed belief ahead of a challenging encounter.
Beyond his leadership and attacking quality, Lautaro’s absence carries extra weight due to a striking statistic: Cagliari are the team he has scored against the most in his career.
The forward has netted 12 goals in 12 appearances against the Sardinians, more than against any other Serie A opponent. He also found the net in the reverse fixture, further underlining his strong connection with this particular matchup.
Cagliari sit comfortably at the top of Lautaro’s list of preferred opponents. Behind them come Atalanta with eight goals conceded, followed by Lazio and Udinese with seven each.
Among Italy’s biggest clubs, he has scored four goals against Napoli, AS Roma and AC Milan, while his return against Juventus is more modest, with just two goals.
These figures underline just how influential Lautaro has been, particularly in fixtures like this. Without their captain and main reference in attack, Inter will need to find alternative solutions to maintain their momentum in the title race.
For Cagliari, his absence offers a rare opportunity to approach the match with greater optimism, hoping to turn what appears to be a difficult trip into a far more unpredictable contest.
