The Inter Milan future of striker Mauro Icardi looks increasingly uncertain after he refused to travel with the Nerazzurri squad for their Europa League clash with Rapid Vienna.
The 25-year-old Argentina international is currently locked in talks about a possible contract extension at the San Siro, with his current deal running out in the summer of 2021.
It has been a tough, painful decision which he probably has not taken well.
Luciano Spalletti
However, the situation has now increased in gravity, with Icardi stripped of the club captaincy and now deciding that he is not in the right frame of mind to feature of Thursday evening.
Inter head coach Luciano Spalletti told reporters: "Icardi was called up and has decided not to travel to Vienna.
"It has been a tough, painful decision which he probably has not taken well, made with the team's well-being in mind.
"The things going on around Icardi have disturbed us, both him and the team which he used to captain.
"But we think it is for the best on the pitch, from the next game onwards. We hope that the other players react properly."
Icardi joined Inter in the summer of 2013 from Sampdoria and has since scored 122 goals in 210 appearances in all competitions, finishing as the top scorer in Serie A in both 2014/15 and 2017/18.
The Nerazzurri are currently in third place in Serie A, while in Europe they missed out on qualifying for the knockout stages of the Champions league and dropped down into the Europa League.
Inter can be backed at 1/4 to finish in the top four in Serie A this season, with AC Milan available at 13/8 and Atalanta 3/1.
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The Inter Milan future of striker Mauro Icardi looks increasingly uncertain after he refused to travel with the Nerazzurri squad for their Europa League clash with Rapid Vienna.
The 25-year-old Argentina international is currently locked in talks about a possible contract extension at the San Siro, with his current deal running out in the summer of 2021.
It has been a tough, painful decision which he probably has not taken well.
Luciano Spalletti
However, the situation has now increased in gravity, with Icardi stripped of the club captaincy and now deciding that he is not in the right frame of mind to feature of Thursday evening.
Inter head coach Luciano Spalletti told reporters: "Icardi was called up and has decided not to travel to Vienna.
"It has been a tough, painful decision which he probably has not taken well, made with the team's well-being in mind.
"The things going on around Icardi have disturbed us, both him and the team which he used to captain.
"But we think it is for the best on the pitch, from the next game onwards. We hope that the other players react properly."
Icardi joined Inter in the summer of 2013 from Sampdoria and has since scored 122 goals in 210 appearances in all competitions, finishing as the top scorer in Serie A in both 2014/15 and 2017/18.
The Nerazzurri are currently in third place in Serie A, while in Europe they missed out on qualifying for the knockout stages of the Champions league and dropped down into the Europa League.
Inter can be backed at 1/4 to finish in the top four in Serie A this season, with AC Milan available at 13/8 and Atalanta 3/1.
View all Soccer betting
Source: bet365.com