Lautaro leads exhausted Inter Milan toward historic Double
Despite fatigue, Lautaro Martinez remains Inter Milan’s key man, leading the charge toward a potential historic season
The Nerazzurri rely on their Captain once again
Inter Milan once again lean heavily on Lautaro Martinez: the Nerazzurri captain will be called upon for extra duty in a season where he has barely had a chance to rest.
Even against Roma, as reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport via Fcinter1908.it, the Argentine striker will be tasked with carrying the team despite his growing fatigue:
"Lautaro will lead Inter Milan at San Siro against Roma and again on Wednesday in Barcelona, because Inter Milan need goals and Inzaghi needs certainties. Forget about squad rotation: the captain will always play, and it’s likely that this marathon will continue even beyond the trip to Montjuïc."
Impressive numbers
The situation for a player like Lautaro, who has been constantly on the field since last season, is striking. Looking at the calendar, it’s easier to list the matches he missed rather than those he played: just six games out of the 51 Inter Milan have contested so far in 2024-25:
Lecce, Verona, and Udinese in Serie A, the second leg against Feyenoord in the Champions League round of 16, Lazio and the first leg against AC Milan in the Coppa Italia.
He has already surpassed the total matches he played last season (44 games) and is chasing the record of two seasons ago, when he reached 57 appearances — a run that ended only with the Champions League final lost against Manchester City.
Ahead of Lautaro now are at least 8 more matches — 7 between Serie A and the Champions League semifinals, plus 3 more in the Club World Cup group stage.
The final tally could rise to 52 games, and up to 53 or even a maximum of 56 if Inter Milan reach the final in Munich and go deep into the FIFA tournament next summer.
Lautaro isn't thinking about the Club World Cup in the United States yet — his focus is on pushing through until May to lead Inter Milan toward a historic Double.
Fatigue and some excuses
Against Milan the other night, Lautaro struggled to find space: fatigue from a relentless season — made even tougher by six consecutive starts — is beginning to catch up with him.
Still, a few excuses are fair: first, the lack of support from the strikers alongside him made life extremely difficult.
Second, in the five derbies played this season, the entire Inter Milan squad underperformed.
Lautaro suffered against Milan just like the rest of his teammates, but he still managed to be one of the most generous and committed players on the pitch.