Inter Milan's Diego Forlan ineligible to play in Champions League Group Stage

Inter Milan suffered a blow today when it was announced that striker Diego Forlan will be ineligible to play in the Champions League for the Nerazzurri till January. The former Atletico Madrid man, who was bought from the Vicente Calderon this summer for €5m as the replacement for Samuel Eto’o, who departed in a big money move to Russian club, Anzhi Makhachkala, has been deemed cup-tied in Europe’s elite competition. Forlan had taken part in Atletico Madrid’s Europa League third round qualifying match against Norwegian outfit Strømsgodset and is thus ineligible to represent Inter in a European competition till January, which means he will not be part of the UCL Group Stages.

Inter Milan’s group in the Champions League contains Lille, CSKA Moscow and Turkish club Trabzonspor, all relatively easy opponents against whom Inter are firm favourites to win and subsequently top the group. With the influx of youngsters in the club, the arrival of Mauro Zarate and the presence of Giampaolo Pazzini, Inter should not face major hassles without their big star Forlan, who will return to action in the knockout round.

Champions League winners in 2010, Inter exited the competition in the quarter-finals last year in ignominious fashion as they were outplayed by unfancied Schalke and were also given thumpings in the Group stage by FC Twente and Tottenham Hotspur. This time around, manager Gasperini will look to avoid such debacles and seek easy qualification despite the absence of his main striker.