Inter needed seven minutes on Sunday to put Como away. Pio Esposito scored in the 12th minute and Marcus Thuram added the second in the 19th, and the 2-0 win at San Siro pulled Cristian Chivu's side back to within a point of Serie A leaders Lazio. Within roughly a day, the man who scored the second goal and another forward who played in the same game had both been ruled out, and Esposito was the last fully fit center forward Inter had.
Two forwards gone in a few hours
Ange-Yoan Bonny went first. Tests at Humanitas on Monday found a strain in the hamstring of his right thigh, picked up near the end of the Como game, and Inter announced he would miss about 30 days. The Gazzetta dello Sport puts his return at Inter-Torino on Dec. 13 or Lecce-Inter on Dec. 18. He has three goals in 14 appearances this season, two in Serie A and one in the Champions League, but only two starts.
Thuram followed later the same day. He felt discomfort in his right biceps femoris against Como, and France sent him back to Milan after tests, citing "the lack of recovery in his condition" and saying the decision was taken in agreement with Inter and the player. He will miss Thursday's Nations League game against Italy at San Siro, his own home ground, and the trip to Türkiye. According to Goal, he is unlikely to be ready for Atalanta on Nov. 22 or for the Champions League game against Stuttgart three days later, with Genoa on Nov. 28 the more realistic target.
That is a big hole. Thuram has six league goals, and Inter have scored 28 in 11 games, the second-best attack in the league behind Roma's 31.
Lautaro straight back in?
The fix may be the captain. Lautaro Martínez has not played since Oct. 13, the night of the home defeat to Club Brugge, after straining the flexor muscles in his left thigh. He has missed five league games and two in the Champions League. According to the Gazzetta, he finishes a final week of individual work and rejoins the group on Monday, and with Thuram and Bonny out he could start in Bergamo rather than recieve a gentle return off the bench.
Esposito, meanwhile, keeps the shirt warm with Italy. The 21-year-old opened the scoring against Como by getting in front of everyone to finish a low cross from Spence, and UEFA counts seven goals in his first 13 games for the national team. He could face France on Thursday on the same field where he scored on Sunday.
There is more trouble in midfield. Aleksandar Stanković left the Serbia camp with a groin injury from Monday's training session and is expected to be out for around a month, also pointing to the Torino or Lecce games in December. The news is better for John Stones and Curtis Jones, who were both on the bench against Como and should be fully available after the break.
The margin for error is small. Lazio have 29 points, Inter 28 and Roma 27, three teams within two points after 11 rounds, and Atalanta away is the first game back. Chivu will go there with a striker who has not played in more than five weeks and a 21-year-old who has suddenly become the most reliable No. 9 he has.
