Lautaro Martinez wants Monza, today first minutes against Betis

The captain of Inter wants to shake off the disappointment of the World Cup and start again with his team. Lautaro Martinez has returned to Appiano Gentile with great determination and has been working with the group for almost a week. His ninth year in the Nerazzurri shirt has begun with the usual ambition, despite the weight of a world competition that ended in the bitterest way.

Argentina had reached the final against Spain, after eliminating England also thanks to a goal by the Bull in the 92nd minute assisted by Messi. In the decisive match, however, Scaloni left him on the bench and the Selección lost. Victory would have completed an extraordinary 2026 for the striker, who could have added the world title to the Scudetto and Coppa Italia. The regret remains of not having made an impact in the last 120 minutes of the American competition.

The captain showed up on time at Appiano together with Thuram and Stones, after the family holidays. During the break he continued to train, taking care of his diet and physical preparation to be immediately available to Chivu. Initially, the coach had some doubts about the possibility of seeing the three internationals on the field for the first match of the league, but after the friendly against Juventus in Perth he left the door open: in the days leading up to the debut it will be possible to assess their condition and decide.

Today, on Ferragosto, Inter will play at the San Nicola against Betis in the last friendly of the preseason. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Martinez is not expected to start but will return to the field in Bari. The situation is different for Thuram, who played just over a minute at the World Cup and still has to fully recover from calf problems. Stones, on the other hand, is eager and could record his first minutes as a Nerazzurri player.

The date circled in red by the captain is August 22. Not only because it will be his birthday, but above all because at San Siro Inter will face Monza for the league debut. The desire is clear: to be there, possibly from the first minute, even if not necessarily for the whole match. Chivu will still have a week to assess the lineup and manage playing time.