Inter Milan’s Romelu Lukaku suffers thigh injury, doubtful for Real Madrid game

Inter Milan have suffered a potentially big injury blow with Romelu Lukaku picking up a thigh strain during the recent Champions League clash against Shakhtar Donetsk.

The Belgium international has been a revelation for the Nerazzurri since his move from Manchester United last summer and he has netted 41 goals and assisted a further six from 58 appearances.

In the current campaign, the 27-year-old has scored seven times from as many matches, but he won’t play any part for them in Saturday’s Serie A outfit against Parma.

The Nerazzurri on Thursday confirmed that the striker’s condition will be assessed over the coming days and that could potentially see him miss the European clash at Real Madrid on November 3.

That would prove a huge blow for the Serie A giants, considering they don’t have any quality back-up option to partner Lautaro Martinez at the moment with Alexis Sanchez also sidelined with an unknown injury.

The club have started their Champions League campaign in a disappointing fashion with draws against Borussia Monchengladbach and Shakhtar and they now face back-to-back games against Madrid, either side of the international break.

A defeat at the Bernabeu would dampen their prospects of making the round of 16 stage of the Champions League for the first time since the 2011/12 campaign when they were the defending champions.

The Nerazzurri have been ousted at the group stage of the elite competition over the past couple of seasons and Antonio Conte will be hoping to avoid a similar run this time around.

The club will be in Serie A action tomorrow where they are scheduled to host Parma. They have made a good start to the current campaign and are presently three points adrift of league leaders AC Milan.

In the absence of Lukaku and Sanchez, club graduate Andrea Pinamonti could be an option to partner Lautaro Martinez. Should Conte go with a versatile option, Ivan Perisic could make a surprise appearance upfront.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com