Inter find themselves in a delicate situation in the Champions League: captain LautaroMartínez, injured, will not be able to participate in the next two European matches against Shakhtar Donetsk and Feyenoord. Lautaro's return is expected only after the next championship break, i.e. after the matches on 8 November, so the Nerazzurri club will have to face the team phase without its main source of goals.
The damage comes immediately after the draw against ClubBrugge, where Inter lost a precious point. With the defeat, CristianChivu's team wasted their group wild card and now must recover at least 16 points in the remaining six European matches to guarantee direct qualification to the round of 16. This requires five wins and a draw, a combination that puts pressure on the club's management.
Among the most difficult challenges remain the trip to Dortmund and the home match against Liverpool. On the contrary, the "easy" matches are those against Shakhtar Donetsk and Feyenoord, but the absence of Lautaro, who scored two of Inter's four goals in the first two Champions League matches, could make the situation more complex. As well as scoring, Lautaro also provided an assist, demonstrating his importance as both a finisher and a chance creator.
In the European panorama, Inter have scored 21 goals so far, of which six are attributed to Lautaro. This percentage indicates how fundamental the player was in producing goals. Lautaro's absence for the next matches could force the team to review its offensive strategy and rely on other attackers to maintain the pace of the game.
Inter's immediate future will depend on Chivu's ability to manage the team without its main striker and on how quickly Lautaro can return to form. If Inter manage to get the necessary points in the next matches, they will be able to continue fighting for a place in the round of 16; on the contrary, the lack of such a significant source of goals could compromise the team's European prospects.