FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Serie A - Cagliari v Inter Milan - Unipol Domus, Cagliari, Italy - December 28, 2024 Inter Milan's Marcus Thuram during the warm up before the match REUTERS/Alberto Lingria/File Photo
(Reuters) - Inter Milan could be without French forward Marcus Thuram due to an injury as they prepare for a tough outing against Juventus at the Allianz Stadium on Sunday, manager Simone Inzaghi said on the eve of the Serie A clash.
Thuram, whose younger brother Khephren plays as a defensive midfielder for Juve, picked up a knock during Inter's 2-1 Serie A home win over Fiorentina on Monday.
Inzaghi was unsure of the 27-year-old France international's availability and said he will be evaluated after Saturday's training.
"(Federico) Dimarco and (Denzel) Dumfries will be back after the flu and suspension, respectively. Today we'll have to evaluate Thuram, we'll see if he'll be able to train with us - so far he hasn't done it, he's been working separately," Inzaghi told reporters on Saturday.
Thuram is Serie A's third-highest goalscorer this season, having netted 13 times.
"We all know the importance Thuram has in our team. At the moment it's more no than yes, he's a generous guy and he was available on Monday after a blow he received in Florence, but he lasted 25 minutes and then asked for a change," Inzaghi added.
"The other strikers are doing well - (Joaquin) Correa is getting over a problem he had since Lecce, (Mehdi) Taremi is fine and (Marko) Arnautovic trained with us yesterday, doing a good job after the problem against Fiorentina."
With just one point separating the top two after 24 matches, the Serie A title race gathers pace this weekend with leaders Napoli heading to the capital to take on Lazio while defending champions and second-placed Inter face Juve, who are fifth.
Inter and Juventus were involved in one of the campaign's most entertaining games when they drew 4-4 at the San Siro in October.
While it was one of the 13 Serie A draws this season for Thiago Motta's Juventus, Inzaghi knew his side will have to be at their best to take all three points this time around.
"We all know what Juve-Inter means and represents for our fans and our club," the Italian said.
"It's an important match, which comes at a delicate time in the championship - we'll have to play an excellent game against a team of quality, which has been strengthened by the winter market and has an excellent coach, whom I respect a lot.
"They come from three victories in a row (in all competitions) - we will have to play a very good game."
(Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
