Inter sweat on Arnautovic fitness; Griezmann boost for Atletico
Madrid, Spain - Inter Milan forward Marko Arnautovi faces another month on the sidelines because of injury while teammate Carlos Augusto will also miss Wednesday’s match against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League round of 16.
Both players had to come off in Inter’s 1-0 win at Bologna on Saturday after sustaining injuries. They underwent medical tests on Monday.
“The Austrian (Arnautovi ) has suffered a muscle strain in the right thigh, while the Brazilian winger has a calf strain in the right leg,” the club said in a statement. “The two Nerazzurri players will be reassessed in the following days.”
Inter — last season’s Champions League runner-up — visit Atletico with a 1-0 lead from the first leg, courtesy of a late Arnautovi strike.
Italian media reported that Arnautovi will likely be sidelined for a month but Carlos Augusto could return for this weekend’s Serie A match against Napoli.
The 34-year-old Arnautovi , who returned to Inter on loan from Bologna in August, missed two months earlier this season with a hamstring injury.
Inter have won all 13 of their matches this year in Serie A, the Italian Super Cup and the Champions League. Simone Inzaghi’s men lead Serie A by 16 points.
Atletico will be boosted by key player Antoine Griezmann’s likely return from injury. Griezmann sprained his ankle at the San Siro in the first leg.
The French forward missed four games since, of which Atletico have won only once, but has returned to training and Spanish media say he is set to feature in the second leg.