Inter Milan’s dynamic wingback, Nicola Zalewski, seems to be facing a challenging period as injuries sideline him until mid-March, according to a report from Tuttosport via FCInterNews. The 23-year-old’s absence will be felt in Inter’s upcoming three matches, including the crucial Coppa Italia quarter-finals against Lazio.
Zalewski’s muscle injury, which some reports suggest is a calf strain, is a significant blow to the Nerazzurri. The recent Inter signee will also miss the matches against Napoli and Feyenoord, apart from the impending clash with Lazio, pushing Inter Milan to strategize without their promising wingback.
Despite the injury setback, Zalewski remains optimistic. He recalls his debut for Inter Milan in the derby as one of the highlights of his career. The matchday programme for the Serie A clash with Genoa featured his thoughts after spending three weeks as a Nerazzurri player.
With the possibility of a full debut against Genoa, Zalewski’s injury adds an unexpected twist to Inter Milan’s plans. Speculations were rife that the 23-year-old would also start for Inter against Fiorentina, replacing Federico Dimarco who was reportedly not at his best.
Zalewski’s arrival at Inter Milan, along with Francesco Acerbi, was seen as a significant move in the January transfer window. The Polish international considers Inter Milan as an important step in his career, drawing inspiration from Ivan Perisic.
Inter Milan’s January market activities, which also included signing Petar Sucic from Dinamo Zagreb, received a lukewarm six out of ten rating from Gazzetta dello Sport via FCInterNews. However, Riccardo Trevisani, in the recent Fontana di Trevi podcast, hailed Zalewski’s signing, saying he is significantly better than Tajon Buchanan.
Zalewski credits his smooth transition to Inter Milan to his international teammate Piotr Zielinski. He conveyed this in an interview with InterTV after his move.
Despite a challenging derby clash with AC Milan, Zalewski believed that Inter Milan deserved three points from the encounter. His debut for the Nerazzurri, during the derby, garnered positive ratings across Italian media, with Stefan de Vrij and Marcus Thuram praising Inter’s belief in securing a point in the derby.
Zalewski’s journey to Inter Milan was not without its share of drama. Before joining the reigning Serie A champions, Zalewski was required to sign a new contract with his former club, Roma. This was the only way for the young player to complete his loan move to Giuseppe Meazza.
Zalewski’s potential move to Inter was nearly disrupted by French giants Marseille, who attempted to hijack the transfer deal. However, Inter proved successful in securing the services of the wingback, who is set to join the club on loan from Roma with an option for a permanent transfer at the end of the season.
Zalewski’s journey, from being considered a surplus to Roma’s requirements and nearly moving away in the summer, to making an impactful debut for Inter Milan, has been a rollercoaster ride. However, the young player’s determination and talent have seen him secure a promising position in the Italian football scene.