Inter will be without one of their key midfielders for the Champions League clash with Arsenal after confirming Hakan Calhanoglu has suffered a calf injury.
The Serie A leaders announced on Tuesday that the Turkey international underwent scans at the Humanitas Clinical Institute in Rozzano, which revealed a muscle strain in his left calf. Inter added that his recovery will be monitored over the coming days, but Italian media report an absence of roughly 20 days.
Calhanoglu’s injury comes at a busy point in the calendar and is likely to rule him out of several domestic and European fixtures. The 31-year-old is expected to miss league matches against Lecce, Udinese, Pisa and Cremonese, as well as Champions League encounters with Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund. A return could come in early February, with the away trip to Sassuolo on February 8 seen as a possible target.
Inter face Lecce at San Siro on Wednesday in a rearranged Serie A Week 16 match, having been unable to play the fixture in December due to their participation in the Supercoppa Italiana. Simone Inzaghi’s side currently sit top of the league, holding a narrow advantage over AC Milan, while reigning champions Napoli trail in third.
Calhanoglu has been a central figure in Inter’s campaign, contributing eight goals and four assists in 22 appearances across all competitions, including seven goals in the league alone. His absence will be keenly felt as Inter look to maintain their domestic lead and secure progress in Europe, where they sit sixth in the Champions League league phase with 12 points from six matches, following their recent runs to the final in 2023 and 2025.
