Inter would have won Wednesday’s match at Sampdoria if Romelu Lukaku had started the game, according to Italian football journalist Sandro Piccinini.
Lukaku started on the bench at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris as a precautionary measure after being forced off against Crotone at the weekend due to a thigh problem, despite tests on Tuesday morning having ruled out serious injuries.
He came on the second half but could not prevent Antonio Conte’s side from falling to their first defeat in Serie A since October on a very rainy day in Genoa, which led to the state of the pitch getting progressively worse.
The Nerazzurri had the chance to take the lead in the match early on from a penalty by Alexis Sanchez, who took over penalty duties in Lukaku’s absence, but the Chilean failed to score.
Sampdoria would take the lead soon after and would be 2-0 up by half time.
Stefan de Vrij pulled one back for Inter in the second half but Antonio Conte’s side could not find an equaliser.
“If Lukaku had been there [to take it] Inter would have won the game,” Piccinini explained in the studios of Sky Sport Italia during their Sky Calcio Club show.
“Sanchez’s penalty miss made the game go in another direction, then you had the pitch which was disastrous, everyone said it and Inter had bad luck in key moments.
“Despite their misfortune, Inter showed they’re in a healthy state.
“Now there is the match against Roma on Sunday and they must quickly forget this match, which I don’t believe will leave any scars.”
Conte’s side did not lose ground on Serie A leaders AC Milan despite their defeat, with the Rossoneri also losing at home to Juventus last night.
