Although he is no longer young at the age of 32, Stankovic has been one of Inter Milan's most outstanding players this season. In the absence of Sneijder, Stankovic became Leonardo's choice for the attacking midfielder position and performed exceptionally well. To date this season, he has played 18 games for Inter Milan, scoring 6 goals and providing 4 assists. Since returning from the winter break, he scored 2 goals and provided 2 assists in 5 league matches, making him one of the best-performing players in the Inter squad. His injury is undoubtedly a big headache for Leonardo.
In the quarterfinals of the Italian Cup between Inter Milan and Napoli, Inter fought hard for 120 minutes and eventually advanced through a penalty shootout. However, the Nerazzurri paid a heavy price. Stankovic, who had recently been in fine form, painfully fell to the ground during a confrontation in the 62nd minute of the second half and was then carried into the dressing room by medical staff. The official Inter website stated: "Stankovic suffered a hamstring strain in his right thigh and will be unable to participate in the weekend match against Palermo."
On the morning of January 27th, local Italian time, Inter Milan officially announced the injuries of Stankovic and Cordoba. Stankovic’s issue was a muscle strain in his right thigh. Subsequent follow-up reports by Italian media indicated that this tough Inter player would be absent for 30-40 days, meaning that Stankovic would miss several crucial matches against Roma, Juventus, and Bayern Munich!
Inter Milan did not disclose Stankovic's exact recovery period, but various Italian media outlets, including Sky Sports, Slow Lens TV, and All Market, unanimously reported: Stankovic will be out due to injury for 30-40 days! This means that this tough midfielder will miss the upcoming league battles against Palermo (January 30), Roma (February 6), and Juventus (February 13), as well as the first leg of the 1/8 finals against Bayern Munich (February 23)! For the Nerazzurri, this is undoubtedly a significant loss.