Inter’s lack an established first-choice penalty-taker who is clinical from the spot is one of the major consequences of Romelu Lukaku’s departure from the team according to Italian media.
This issue is highlighted in today’s print edition of Turin-based newspaper Tuttosport, who note that the Nerazzurri have dropped four points this season due to missed penalties in the reliable Belgian’s absence.
There was no doubt that Lukaku was the primary penalty-taker in his two seasons with the Nerazzurri, and the Belgian never missed a spot kick that he attempted for the team.
This season has been much different, with the Nerazzurri having already seen penalties taken by four players, two of whom have failed to score.
Hakan Calhanoglu scored his penalty against former side AC Milan in Sunday’s derby match, while Lautaro Martinez’s effort for the second spot kick that Inter were awarded was saved.
The match finished 1-1, and this was not the first time that the Nerazzurri have dropped points thanks to a missed penalty, with Federic Dimarco having missed the opportunity to grab a late winner from the spot against Atalanta.
Ivan Perisic has also scored a penalty this season, stepping up to convert one against Lazio, and as with Dimarco it was likely that the Croat was chosen to take it only because Martinez and Calhanoglu were not on the pitch at the time.
The hierarchy on penalties is nowhere near as clear as it was when Lukaku was taking them regularly, and the team has already suffered in the Serie A table for it, and this issue is one which they must work to sort out.
