By Le Figaro with AFP
Published yesterday at 11:22 p.m., Updated now
Benjamin Pavard. IMAGO / Imago / Panoramic
Injured in his left knee for more than a month, the French international returned to the field this Wednesday with the Nerazzurri, surprised at home by Thiago Motta’s team.
Inter Milan, double defending champion, was eliminated from the Italian Cup as soon as it entered the competition in the round of 16 by Bologna, winner 2-1 at San Siro after extra time. Inter had nevertheless opened the scoring at the start of extra time (90+2), but Bologna knocked out the leader of the Italian Championship in less than five minutes in the final.
Sam Beukema equalized from a corner in the 112th minute, then Dan Ndoye gave the final blow (116th). In the quarter-finals, Thiago Motta’s Bologna, currently 4th in the Italian championship, will face Fiorentina in mid-January.
“It’s an elimination that hurts, we were double title holders, we had a good match until the last quarter of an hour. It’s football”analyzed Inter coach Simone Inzaghi.
The Argentinian Lautaro Martinez, top scorer in the championship with 15 goals, had the opportunity to qualify his team in regulation time on a penalty (65th), but his attempt, too weak, was diverted by the Bologna goalkeeper, Federico Ravaglia. He then left the field in the 99th minute limping and holding his left thigh. “The medical staff don’t seem very worried, it’s a muscular problem, we’ll see, we’ll play again in three days” in the Italian Championship, recalled Inzaghi.
Pavement back on the meadow
The only good news for the interior club, Benjamin Pavard, victim of a dislocation of his left knee in early November, made his return to competition during this meeting. The Habs entered the game for overtime with the two teams tied 0-0.
The 27-year-old central defender was injured on November 4 during his team’s victory against Atalanta Bergamo (2-1). He missed eight matches for Inter, leader of the Italian Championship with four points ahead of Juventus Turin, including three in the Champions League.
Since his arrival last summer from Bayern Munich, the 2018 world champion and 2022 world vice-champion has established himself in the interior defense and played ten matches in his new jersey.
