Hakan Calhanoglu ruled out as Inter Milan take on Lecce

Inter Milan midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu faces a spell on the sidelines, starting against Lecce on Wednesday night.

Calhanoglu was forced off in the closing stages of Sunday’s 2-2 home draw against Napoli and reports in Italy suggest the influential Turkey international could be out for three weeks with a calf problem.

“Hakan Calhanoglu underwent an MRI scan this morning at the Humanitas Clinical Institute in Rozzano,” an Inter statement said on Tuesday.

“The tests revealed a muscle strain in his left calf, and his condition will be assessed over the coming days.”

Calhanoglu will miss Serie A games against Lecce, Udinese, Pisa and Cremonese, as well as Champions League ties with Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund, should reports of a three-week absence prove correct.

League leaders Inter host Lecce at San Siro in a fixture rescheduled from December, as the Nerazzurri were involved in the Supercoppa Italiana in Saudi Arabia last month.

Inter hold a three-point lead over neighbours AC Milan, but only four points separate themselves and fifth-placed Roma.

“I think there’s four or five teams in this title race,” Inter head coach Cristian Chivu, Serie A’s coach of the month for December, said.

“I don’t even know what the points gap is, just that we, Napoli, Bologna and Milan all have a game in hand.

“We all know this will be a fight to the end.”

On paper, the visit of Lecce looks a straightforward exercise for Inter who have won seven and lost only one of their last 10 games.

Their Argentinian talisman Lautaro Martinez is Serie A’s top scorer with 10 goals and has 14 in all competitions.

Lecce have not scored against Inter in the last five meetings, conceding 14 goals in that run, with their last victory against the Nerazzurri in January 2012.

The Giallorossi have lost three of their last four games, all at home, and are currently one place and three points above the relegation zone.

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