Inter Milan captain Lautaro Martinez has issued a stern warning to his teammates following the club’s 2-0 shock defeat to Fluminense in the FIFA Club World Cup Round of 16 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Clearly frustrated by the team’s poor showing and early exit, Martinez told Sport Mediaset:
“Anyone who doesn’t want to be here should leave. We represent an important club and must challenge for important objectives.”
Goals from German Cano and Hercules sent the Italian giants crashing out, while Martinez and Federico Dimarco both hit the woodwork in a game marred by missed chances and costly defensive errors.
The Argentine forward also hinted at deeper issues within the squad:
“We gave the ball away far too many times. Fluminense defended well. We were missing a lot of players and were mentally tired, but that’s not an excuse.”
While Martinez didn’t mention names, speculation points to Hakan Calhanoglu as a possible target of his frustration. The Turkish midfielder was absent due to injury but is reportedly pushing for a summer move to Galatasaray, stirring unrest behind the scenes.
Speaking to both Sport Mediaset and DAZN, Lautaro added:
“I’m not going to name names… But I saw many things I did not like. I am the captain, I have to speak up.”
The comments underline Martinez’s growing leadership role at the club and signal potential dressing room tension as Inter seek to regroup ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.