Lukaku set to make Inter return next week as Inzaghi calls for patience

Romelu Lukaku is expected to return from injury when Inter host Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League next Wednesday, Simone Inzaghi has revealed.

Lukaku scored 24 goals as Inter won the Serie A title in the 2020-2 season, and was expected to play a key role in another tilt at the Scudetto after returning on a season-long loan from Chelsea.

However, a thigh injury has kept Lukaku sidelined since August, with the Belgium striker’s recovery taking longer than was initially expected.

With Inter bidding to secure qualification for the Champions League round of 16 next week, Inzaghi is keen to get Lukaku back, but he will not feature at Fiorentina in Serie A on Saturday.

“He has been training partially in a group for two days. He has to regain his condition, but he is very motivated,” Inter head coach Inzaghi said. “Finally, after a very long time, he has overcome the injury.

“He will not be with us tomorrow in Florence, [but] we try to bring him back on Wednesday. He has to find his condition, but after seeing him work, I am confident.”

Inter finished just two points behind rivals Milan at the culmination of the Scudetto battle last season, but are already eight points adrift of leaders Napoli this campaign.

Focus on #FiorentinaInter #ForzaInter pic.twitter.com/L0fWOMUmgj

— Inter (@Inter) October 20, 2022

Asked whether Inter could still play a part in the title race, Inzaghi added: “Now we have to look at the calendar, to be realistic.

“There is a gap and they are racing ahead, now the goal is to recover points in the league and go through in the Champions League.

“What matters most is to think game-by-game, now there are so many games missing until the [World Cup] break, and we have to get there in the best possible way.”

Inter have won on their last two Serie A trips to Fiorentina; only once in their history have they won three successive away league games against the Viola (between 1977 and 1980).

Meanwhile, the Nerazzurri are unbeaten in their last 10 league meetings with Fiorentina (W5 D5), having lost five of their previous six games against them (W1).