Icardi Boycotts Inter Milan Trip To Rapid Vienna.

By Joshua Walters
Mauro Icardi refused to turn up on Wednesday as Inter Milan travelled to Austria ahead of Thursday's Europa League clash with Rapid Wien.

Icardi was stripped of his Inter Milan captain on Tuesday as the club named goalkeeper Samir Handanovic as the new man to lead the Nerazzurri.

Inter Milan failed to disclose the reason behind the decision, though they refused to accept speculations that it may have come as a result of a rift between the player and the club.

Following the development, Icardi refused to turn up despite calls from the club that he reported for the trip.

Luciano Spalletti told reporters the player was part of the squad presented for the game, but he "did not want to be there."

"The decision to remove the captaincy from Icardi was difficult and painful, absolutely shared by all the club members and taken for the good of Inter."

"He was called up for Vienna but he did not want to be there."

"Things around him have disturbed him and the team he captained. Now we have to focus all our attention on Thursday's game."

Inter Milan are third on the Serie A table with 43 points, and the Argentine striker has contributed nine goals and two assists in 20 Serie A games though he is yet to score in the Europa League, having been dropped into the continent's second-tier inter-club competition from the Champions League.

Icardi joined Inter Milan from Sampdoria in 2013 for a fee of €6.5 million for 50% registration rights.

Icardi's contract expires in 2021, but he has refused to extend the deal despite the club presenting to him a new offer in a protracted contract negotiation involving the Milan club and his wife and agent, Wanda Icardi.