Mauro Icardi may not be in Edgardo Bauza’s consideration for now but the Inter Milan captain gave a firm reminder why he probably should be with a blistering nine-minute hat-trick in a 7-1 win over Atalanta.

The visit of fifth-placed Atalanta was supposed to be an evenly contested clash but Inter Milan’s Argentine contingent ensured it was anything.

Icardi was alert to pounce on a Banega free kick that clattered into the wall to poke Inter ahead after 17 minutes and when the centre forward was clipped by goalkeeper Etrit Berisha, he doubled the lead from the penalty spot.

There was still only 26 minutes on the clock when Icardi completed his hat-trick, leaping to head in Banega’s cross from the right but Inter were far from done.

Twice in quick succession, Banega rattled in from Antonio Candreva cut-backs to make it five and although Atalanta pulled one back before the break it was merely a consolation.

And you were wondering who gets to take home the matchball?! ⚽️😃🔝#InterAtalanta #ForzaInter pic.twitter.com/G6XX06YYPr

— F.C. Internazionale (@Inter_en) March 12, 2017

Banega laid on the sixth for Roberto Gagliardini before completing his own hat-trick with a sweetly struck free-kick.

A first career treble for Banega but naturally talk was focused on Icardi’s continued absence from the Argentina squad.

“I’m not sending a message to Bauza, I don’t have his telephone number,” Icardi said at full time,

“I work every week with my team and if there is a call from the national team it will be a reward for the work that I do here every day.”