Despite recently making a move to Inter Milan in a buzzed-about transfer earlier this year, Lukas Podolski will not have the chance to feature for his new side in European competition.
The German international, who was part of die Mannschaft World Cup triumph this past summer has yet to score his first goal in Italy, but so far has made six appearances in all competitions for Roberto Mancini's side since arriving on loan from Arsenal and earned himself an assist by setting up new colleague Xherdan Shaqiri.
Interestingly though, there is no room for him in the team's Europa League squad. The reason? Actually it is not perhaps because of any poor showings on his part but rather a rule that states that the club has to include a set number of of former youth players.
With the return of Davide Stanton, who was part of Inter's youth setup, there was no room for the 29-year-old, as Mancini opted to include fellow new signing Shaqiri instead.
However, the exclusion certainly will not help to quell the tongues of some growing critics who have not been impressed with him so far with the Milan giants' new signing. Currently, Podolski appears again to be struggling to get game time...which is the very same reason he opted to depart London in the first place.
