Inter's Maicon to miss Champions League clash with Lille

Inter defender Maicon is likely to miss his side's Champions League Group B match against Lille on Wednesday after suffering a second-degree thigh strain against Juventus. The Milan-based side did not confirm how long the Brazilian would be out of action, but Il Corriere dello Sport reports he could be absent for up to four weeks. However, Inter did reveal the results of medical tests on Maicon, who scored in the 2-1 Serie A defeat to Juventus at San Siro on Saturday. A statement released by the club reads: "This morning [Sunday] at the orthopaedic clinic of the IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo Foundation in Pavia, professor Franco Combi, Inter's chief of medical staff, submitted Maicon to medical tests to investigate the muscular pain felt by the player. The results showed a second-degree strain to the biceps femoris muscle of the left thigh.

"After the exams in Pavia were completed, the player went to the Angelo Moratti training centre for his first session of therapy and physiotherapy." Despite the blow, Andrea Ranocchia and Walter Samuel are in contention for the game against Lille after taking part in full training on Sunday.