Inter will lean on Lukaku
– Inter Milan will have to rely on Romelu Lukaku (above) for their goal threat today as the Serie A title challengers aim to move level with Juventus without striking revelation Lautaro Martinez.
The pair have struck 18 of Inter’s 32 league goals this season as Antonio Conte has led them into their first serious title in nearly a decade, but Belgian Lukaku could be partnered by teenage rookie Sebastiano Esposito, who is set for his first Serie A start following a series of promising appearances from the bench in recent weeks.
Two draws in a row have put the breaks on Inter, with Dusan Vlahovic’s last gasp equaliser for Fiorentina last weekend allowing Juve to stay level on points before moving three ahead on Wednesday.
A late booking in that draw for Argentine Martinez, who is reportedly a target for both Barcelona and Manchester City, looks to have given Esposito his big chance for an Inter side missing key players like midfielders Stefano Sensi and Nicolo Barella.
An incredible Ronaldo leap gave Maurizio Sarri’s side a 2-1 win at Sampdoria earlier in the week as they prepare for this weekend’s Italian Super Cup clash with Lazio, who made it a threeway title race on Monday with two added-time goals to beat Cagliari by the same score.
Third-placed Lazio play their week 17 match against Hellas Verona in early February due to their trip to Riyadh to face Juve, leaving Inter with a chance to move six points away from the Rome club.
Lazio’s local rivals Roma can also put some pressure on Simone Inzaghi’s side and steal a march in the race for the Champions League against struggling Fiorentina, whose draw with Inter was their first point in five matches.
The Tuscan outfit haven’t won in Serie A since the end of October while Paulo Fonseca’s Roma have lost just once in the league since late September and can move to within a point of Lazio with a win in Florence.
They welcome Chris Smalling back from a knee injury, who along with Lukaku was the subject of the now infamous “Black Friday” Corriere Dello Sport front page as Italian football continues to grapple with racism in the stands and boardrooms.
Serie A attracted widespread condemnation and ridicule after launching an anti-racism campaign that featured monkeys, with the league seemingly unable to beat back a tide of racist incidents. – AFP