Lautaro Martinez says he wants to break the record for the most individual goals in a Serie A season after scoring in either half of Inter Milan’s 4-0 win at Lecce on Sunday.
Argentina forward Martinez took his campaign tally to 22 goals in 23 top-flight matches and now needs 15 in the leaders’ remaining 13 games to break the record of 36, held by Gino Rossetti, Gonzalo Higuain and Ciro Immobile.
“I will go for the record but the important thing is that Inter must win,” Martinez said, speaking to DAZN, via Football Italia, after his side moved nine points clear of Juventus with a game in hand.
“I know that I have to mature and have real margin for improvement. I am also glad at our results this season, but we’ve got nothing firmly in our grasp yet. I am happy because these goals help Inter to bring points home.”
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Martinez scored once in Inter’s preceding 4-0 win at home to Salernitana on February 16, ending a two-game wait for a goal which was only the second time this season the 26-year-old has gone more than one match without scoring.
The former Racing Club hotshot’s first goal at Lecce made him the third foreign player to score 100 goals for the Nerazzurri after Istvan Nyers and Mauro Icardi.
Martinez goals record: Striker thanks family
“When I left home at the age of 15, I didn’t think all this could happen,” Martinez reflected. “I owe it all to my family.
“We mustn’t stop here. We need to keep raising the bar every day, in every training session, to make it difficult for the coach to choose [teams].
“This win means a lot to us. We are showing real consistency and playing great football against everyone.
“We are working really well together. I am happy but we must continue like this because it is not over.”
Lautaro Martínez scored his 100th and 101st Serie A goals.
He leads the league with 22 this season.
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— B/R Football (@brfootball) February 25, 2024
Inter host Atalanta and Genoa next before visiting Bologna and travelling to Atletico Madrid for the second leg of their Uefa Champions League round of 16 tie, which Simone Inzaghi’s team lead 1-0 through Marko Arnautovic’s first-leg winner.
Captain Martinez has two goals in seven appearances in Europe this season.
