Chelsea-owned striker Romelu Lukaku is a serious candidate to start for Inter in tomorrow evening’s Coppa Italia semifinal second leg match against Juventus.
This according to today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, via FCInterNews, who report that the 29-year-old Belgian international is in contention for a starting spot against the Bianconeri with Edin Dzeko.
Inter coach Simone Inzaghi may well have thought that he was going to have his hand forced a bit with his selection in attack against Juventus, given the initial suspension to striker Lukaku.
However, the intervention of FIGC President Gabriele Gravina who used an executive pardon to lift the Belgian’s suspension for receiving two yellow cards in the first leg earlier this months means that he will in fact be available to play, either from the start or from the bench.
It has nevertheless been reported that Edin Dzeko remains the favourite to start in attack alongside Martinez one way or the other, despite Lukaku being available.
However, according to the Gazzetta, Lukaku is starting to make a case for himself.
The 29-year-old had really shown his value on the pitch with his match-winning second half performance against Empoli over the weekend, a match in which he scored twice before setting up Lautaro Martinez cor the Nerazzurri’s third.
Moreover, from the player’s perspective, there is little doubt that Lukaku would like to start in tomorrow evening’s match at the San Siro, and he is hoping to convince his coach in training.
In all likelihood Inzaghi will let his decision wait until closer to the match.
The coach is watching both Lukaku and Dzeko in training, and preparing to make a decision regarding which of the pair looks more ready to start against the Bianconeri tomorrow, but in any event a start for Lukaku can hardly be excluded.
