Inter are one team with Romelu Lukaku and a completely different one without him, an Italian media report has argued today.

Gazzetta dello Sport, via their print edition, said there was no player capable of leading Antonio Conte’s side quite like Lukaku, who returns to the starting XI tonight for Inter’s tricky Serie A match at Fiorentina.

The numbers back up that theory, too, with the Belgian having scored a tremendous 20 goals in 26 appearances so far this season.

But the Milanese publication also pointed out that Inter have failed to win all three games in which Lukaku has not featured during this campaign, most recently losing to Juventus in Tuesday’s Coppa Italia semi-final first leg.

The Nerazzurri also lost to Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League back in November, a few days after they had struggled to a 2-2 draw at home to Parma in the league.

Achraf Hakimi will also return to Inter’s line-up at the Stadio Artemio Franchi this evening after he too was suspended for the 2-1 defeat to Juve in midweek.