Inter’s preparations for Parma have brought a mixed update from Appiano Gentile, with John Stones still working away from the main group and his involvement in the next Serie A fixture remaining uncertain.
The England defender has not yet completed his recovery from the hamstring problem suffered against Udinese. Stones went down during that match and was forced off in the 62nd minute of his first start for the Nerazzurri. The international break has not proved sufficient for him to return to full training, leaving Cristian Chivu to wait before making a decision on the defender’s availability.
Stones has made four competitive appearances since joining Inter: three in Serie A and one in the Champions League. The coaching staff had introduced him carefully after the Club World Cup, giving him 15 minutes against Monza, 22 minutes at Cagliari and the entire second half at the Bernabeu before handing him a starting place against Udinese.
Forwards begin work for Parma
There was better news elsewhere in the squad as Ange-Yoan Bonny returned from Ivory Coast duty and began preparing for the meeting with his former club. The striker has joined Marcus Thuram in training, with the pair having several extra days at Appiano compared with the other two central forwards, Lautaro Martinez and Pio Esposito.
As Inter return to domestic competition, Chivu’s immediate task is to balance the recovery of his injured players with a schedule that again demands depth. Stones’ condition will remain one of the main selection questions before Parma, while Bonny has the chance to prepare early for a particularly familiar opponent.
