In a blow to his season, Alan Franco has been ruled out for at least three weeks with a right knee injury.
Franco, who was signed in the summer, suffered a dislocated knee in training camp and will be sidelined until further notice. The injury is expected to sideline him for several months.
The Brazilian striker has made a significant impact on Inter Milan this season, scoring four goals and assisting two others in the Serie A. He has also scored in the Champions League and UEFA Europa League, but he will now need time to recover fully before returning to the pitch.
The club has already lost star players such as Romario and Zinedine Zidane, but Franco's absence will add another layer of complexity to their preparations. The team will have to rely on other players to fill in for Franco, including fellow left-back Marcelo Vinicius and forward Paulo Dybala.
"It's disappointing to lose our best player like Franco," Inter president Massimiliano Allegri said. "He was a key player for us last year and we wish him all the best."
Despite the setback,Football World View Franco remains confident that he can return to full fitness once it is safe to do so. He has already started working out regularly and is hoping to resume training in the coming days.
"I'm still training every day, even if I don't play," Franco told Italian radio station RAI Sport. "I feel good physically, mentally and physically. It's just about getting back to playing."
While Franco's absence will undoubtedly affect Inter's preparation, they remain optimistic that he will be able to return to action soon enough. They plan to bring in experienced substitutes such as Marco Materazzi and Marco Materazzi Jr., who were among the most reliable performers during Franco's injury layoff.
"We're going to look after him very well, and we'll make sure he gets the support he needs," Allegri said. "We want him to come back as quickly as possible."