The list goes on and on: Another disappointed Ballon d'Or nominee

Looking at Lautaro Martinez's previous season, he undoubtedly deserved to find a place among the biggest favourites to win the Ballon d'Or. He netted 27 times in 44 appearances last season, convincingly won the Scudetto with Inter Milan and was the Serie A MVP and capocannoniere (top scorer). With Argentina, he won Copa America and was the tournament's leading scorer, netting the winner in the finals extra time against Colombia.

Yet, it was enough only for the seventh position in the Ballon d'Or ranking, as the 27-year-old forward finished behind Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Dani Carvajal, Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Junior, and the laureate Rodri.

"Sleepy" Inter wake up late, but in time

The decision to award the prestigious honour to the Spaniard raised dust in European football, especially in his homeland, thanks to Vinicius and Real Madrid's reactions. Still, the Brazilian was not the only one dissatisfied with the ultimate choice.

In a day in which he became Inter's best-ever foreign scorer, netting the third goal against Empoli, his 134th in the blue and black jersey, Lautaro revealed (in a much more modest way and nowhere near as dramatically as Vini and Los Blancos) that he expected to finish higher.

"Honestly, I expected to finish higher. I work for Inter and Argentina. And these awards sometimes don't decide fairly. I'm happy with my work and to be getting back into shape, because we know I arrived late and without rest," said Martinez yesterday after the Empoli clash via Marca.

SERIE A - MATCHDAY 10

Tuesday

Cagliari - Bologna 0-2 (0-1)

/Orsolini 35, Odgaard 51/

Lecce - Verona 1-0 (0-0)

/Dorgu 1/

Milan - Napoli 0-2 (0-2)

/Lukaku 5, Kvaratskhelia 43/

Wednesday

Empoli - Inter 0-3 (0-0)

/Frattesi 50, 67, Martinez 79/

Venezia - Udinese 3-2 (1-2)

/Pohjanpalo 41 pen, 86 pen, Nicolussi 56 - Lovric 19, Bravo 25/

Atalanta - Monza 2-0 (0-0)

/Samardzic 70, Zappacosta 88/

Juventus - Parma 2-2 (1-2)

/McKennie 31, Weah 49 - Del Prato 3, Sohm 38/

Thursday

Genoa - Fiorentina 0-1 (0-0)

/Gosens 72/

22.45: (2.85) Como (3.30) Lazio (2.50)

22.45: (1.80) Roma (3.70) Torino (5.00)

***odds are subject to change***