Inter Milan have been handed a major late scare ahead of their highly anticipated Champions League meeting with Real Madrid, with Nicolò Barella reportedly suffering a minor right-leg dislocation during training just hours before the crucial clash.
The incident has immediately raised concerns inside the Inter camp, with Cristian Chivu now facing an anxious wait to discover whether one of his most important midfielders will be available when the two European giants meet.
According to report, Barella was involved in a contact incident with a teammate during the final stages of the training session. The midfielder reportedly went down after the collision and required immediate attention from members of Inter’s medical staff.
Initial assessments suggested that the problem was a minor dislocation affecting his right leg.
While that has offered Inter some relief, the timing of the incident could hardly be worse.
The Real Madrid match is only hours away, meaning there is very little time for Chivu and his medical team to determine whether Barella can safely take part.
The Italian midfielder is regarded as one of the players capable of influencing the tempo of a game of this magnitude. His energy, pressing, passing and ability to drive Inter forward make him an extremely valuable option in the middle of the pitch.
That is precisely why the injury scare has created so much uncertainty.
Inter are not yet ruling Barella out of the match in this report.
Instead, the player is being monitored closely, with further observation expected before the final decision is made.
The medical team will reportedly continue assessing his condition from now until the match kicks off. His response during the final hours before the game could ultimately determine whether Chivu includes him in the starting XI, keeps him on the bench or decides that the risk is simply too great.
For Chivu, that creates a nightmare selection dilemma.
Facing Real Madrid already represents one of the biggest challenges of the Champions League campaign. Having one of his key midfielders suddenly become a doubt on matchday makes the situation even more difficult.
The Inter boss would naturally want Barella available, particularly because Real Madrid’s midfield can punish any loss of control in the centre of the pitch.
But the priority has to be the player’s condition.
If Barella is unable to start, Chivu would have to rethink his midfield structure at the last possible moment. Inter have other options, but replacing the Italian midfielder’s particular combination of intensity, experience and tactical intelligence against Real Madrid would be a significant challenge.
There is also the psychological impact.
Inter’s players will know that Barella’s status remains uncertain, and that uncertainty could dominate conversations inside the dressing room before kick-off.
For Barella himself, the next few hours could be crucial.
The report suggests that the injury is minor, meaning there is still hope that he could recover sufficiently to play some part. However, with such little time available, Inter cannot afford to take unnecessary risks.
The decision may therefore come down to one final assessment shortly before the teams are announced.
Can Barella convince the medical staff that he is ready?
Can he train normally without discomfort?
And, most importantly, can he handle the intensity of a Champions League battle against Real Madrid?
Those are the questions now hanging over Inter Milan.
One thing is certain: what looked like a routine final training session has suddenly turned into a major source of concern for Chivu.
Inter will desperately hope that the scare proves to be nothing more than a minor setback and that Barella can recover in time.
But until the final decision is made, his presence against Real Madrid remains uncertain leaving Chivu facing a genuine selection headache at the worst possible moment.
