Former Arsenal and Manchester United striker Robin Van Persie discussed Inter’s Europa League semi-finals clash against Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk in an interview with Yahoo Sports earlier today, as reported by Italian media outlet FcInter1908.

“Inter are doing great things in the Europa League, they have had a great season. I’ve faced Shakhtar a couple of times, we’re talking about a team that always knows how to put you in trouble.”

“Lukaku made the right choice; he’s got his confidence back. He’s having a great time, he looks happy. Based on his last years at Manchester United, he wasn’t, so he found his happiness again.

“Lukaku is a concern for me, he’s scored 23 goals for Inter this season which is a great achievement.

“I always said I liked him as a player, that if he got chances he would score goals. He’s very quick, and very strong, and his goal on Monday was spectacular. He’s the main danger for whoever they play against.

“Inter also have Alexis Sanchez and Ashley Young, who will know United very well. If they play United in the final, these players will want revenge, to show United that they were wrong to let them go.

“Lukaku would love the chance to bang in some goals against the team that let him go. Lukaku took a lot of criticism in Manchester, and he was right to leave. Look at him now, he has been fantastic for Inter.”

Inter, under the ownership of the Suning group and guidance of coach Antonio Conte, Inter are in the semi-finals of a European competition for the first time since the 2009/10 season, the Treble winning campaign oversaw by current Tottenham coach Jose Mourinho.

A win tomorrow against Shakhtar is crucial for Conte, who will meet with the club’s management at the end of the campaign to discuss his future and their transfer market goals. The Europa League is the 51-year-old Italian coach’s last chance to win a trophy this season.

The only prior meeting between the two sides was in the Champions League qualifiers in the 2005/06 season, a two-legged affair that saw the Milanese club come out on top 3-1 winners.