Cristian Chivu arrives at one of the most demanding spells of his Inter Milan tenure with a severely depleted squad, as the Nerazzurri travel to Lecce without captain Lautaro Martinez, Nicolo Barella, Hakan Calhanoglu and Denzel Dumfries.
Although the Dutchman is expected to return to group training from Monday.
Corriere della Sera, via FCInterNews, were quick to raise an uncomfortable historical parallel.
The newspaper noted that the last time Lautaro missed a run of at least three consecutive Serie A games, Inter famously dropped the title by drawing with Lazio on the penultimate matchday under Inzaghi.
It is a stat that will not be lost on the Nerazzurri faithful.
Lecce Vs Inter – Chivu Forced To Rotate As Lautaro & Co. Out
MILAN, ITALY – JANUARY 23: Lautaro Martinez of FC Internazionale Milano celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Pisa SC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on January 23, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
The good news is that Davide Frattesi returns after missing the Bodo defeat through gastroenteritis.
Meanwhile Zielinski came through the Norway trip without serious damage despite leaving the pitch with some discomfort.
Chivu is placing considerable faith in both Frattesi and Andy Diouf to step up in the engine room.
With the latter in particular having a real opportunity to climb the pecking order.
“Chivu finds himself at one of the key moments of the season without his striker,” Corriere della Sera noted.
That pair are now, as Corriere put it, having to “take on the full weight of the attack” in Lautaro’s absence.