Inter Suffer Major Hakan Calhanoglu Injury Blow Ahead of Roma Showdown

The Turkey international missed Inter's 5-3 victory over Udinese on Monday after experiencing discomfort in his right thigh.

Inter have now confirmed the extent of the problem, with Calhanoglu undergoing examinations at the Istituto Clinico Humanitas in Rozzano on Tuesday.

The tests revealed a muscle strain in the adductor muscle of his right thigh, with Inter confirming that his condition will be reassessed over the coming days.

Calhanoglu to miss huge Roma clash

The timing is particularly unfortunate for Inter, with Cristian Chivu's side travelling to the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday to face Roma.

The match pits two of Serie A's early pace-setters against each other, with both clubs having won their opening four league matches.

Roma currently sit top on goal difference, while Inter are also on 12 points after their victory over Udinese.

Inter have confirmed the match will take place on Saturday, September 19, with kick-off scheduled for 18:00 CEST.

Calhanoglu is expected to miss the fixture because of the injury, leaving Chivu without one of his most important midfield options for the first major Serie A meeting of the campaign.

How Inter could replace him

Calhanoglu's absence was already felt against Udinese, when Chivu started Nicolò Barella, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Piotr Zielinski in midfield.

Aleksandar Stankovic and Curtis Jones were also introduced from the bench during the 5-3 victory.

Chivu therefore has several midfield options available, although replacing Calhanoglu's specific qualities will be a challenge.

The 32-year-old has made four appearances across all competitions this season and has scored twice, including goals against Monza and Cagliari.

Inter waiting on recovery timeline

The biggest unanswered question is how long Calhanoglu will be unavailable beyond the Roma game.

Inter have not provided a specific recovery timeframe and have instead said his condition will be evaluated in the coming days.

That means the upcoming assessment will be important in determining whether the midfielder can return quickly after the international break or faces a longer spell on the sidelines.

For now, however, the immediate picture is clear: Inter will have to face Roma without Calhanoglu in a huge early-season Serie A clash.

The Nerazzurri will be hoping the confirmed strain proves relatively short-lived, but further medical assessments will determine the next stage of his recovery.