The regenerated Romelu Lukaku will likely start on the bench in Wednesday’s first-leg battle between AC Milan and Inter Milan in the Champions League semifinal.
As it’s been the case since his return to Appiano Gentile last summer, the Belgian is competing for a starting spot with his teammate Edin Dzeko, while Lautaro Martinez remains the undisputed first choice in attack.
But despite his recent resurgence, Lukaku is still expected to miss out on a starting spot in the greatly anticipated EuroDerby, as Simone Inzaghi will probably give the nod to Dzeko.
According to Il Corriere dello Sport via FcInter1908, the Nerazzurri manager would like to maintain the striking partnership of Martinez and Dzeko, as this combination proved to be vital in the recent two encounters against Milan.
Inter Milan emerged victorious against their crosstown rivals by three unanswered goals in the Italian Super Cup, with the Bosnian striker putting on a man-of-the-match performance. They also dominated the Rossoneri in the most recent Serie A encounter held on February 5.
As the source explains, Milan manager Stefano Pioli could opt for a cautious approach, closing down all spaces and harrying Inter on counterattacks.
In this case, Dzeko’s ability to hold up the ball and find his teammates in tight spaces would come handy, while Lukaku could struggle in this type of matchup, as the report explains.
Nevertheless, the 29-year-old would surely have a chance to leave his mark on the match as a second-half substitute.
