Romelu Lukaku is expected to return from injury when Inter host Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League next Wednesday, Simone Inzaghi has revealed.
Lukaku scored 24 goals as Inter won the Serie A title in the 2020-2 season, and was expected to play a key role in another tilt at the Scudetto after returning on a season-long loan from Chelsea.
However, a thigh injury has kept Lukaku sidelined since August, with the Belgium striker's recovery taking longer than was initially expected.
With Inter bidding to secure qualification for the Champions League round of 16 next week, Inzaghi is keen to get Lukaku back, but he will not feature at Fiorentina in Serie A on Saturday.
"He has been training partially in a group for two days. He has to regain his condition, but he is very motivated," Inter head coach Inzaghi said. "Finally, after a very long time, he has overcome the injury.
"He will not be with us tomorrow in Florence, [but] we try to bring him back on Wednesday. He has to find his condition, but after seeing him work, I am confident."
Inter finished just two points behind rivals Milan at the culmination of the Scudetto battle last season, but are already eight points adrift of leaders Napoli this campaign.
Asked whether Inter could still play a part in the title race, Inzaghi added: "Now we have to look at the calendar, to be realistic.
"There is a gap and they are racing ahead, now the goal is to recover points in the league and go through in the Champions League.
"What matters most is to think game-by-game, now there are so many games missing until the [World Cup] break, and we have to get there in the best possible way."
Inter have won on their last two Serie A trips to Fiorentina; only once in their history have they won three successive away league games against the Viola (between 1977 and 1980).
Meanwhile, the Nerazzurri are unbeaten in their last 10 league meetings with Fiorentina (W5 D5), having lost five of their previous six games against them (W1).
Napoli 2-1 Parma: Lukaku and Anguissa fire Conte's men to last-gasp win
Romelu Lukaku and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa scored in second-half stoppage time as Napoli fought back for a thrilling 2-1 victory over Parma in Serie A.
Newly promoted Parma, who stunned Milan last week, looked set to claim a second surprise win in as many games when Ange-Yoan Bonny won and converted a 19th-minute penalty.
The momentum of the game changed, however, when Parma goalkeeper Zion Suzuki was shown his second yellow card for a foul on David Neres with 15 minutes of the 90 remaining.
With no further substitutions available to the visitors, defender Enrico Del Prato took over in goal and went close to getting his team over the line with a clean sheet intact.
However, new signing Lukaku came off the bench to equalise for Napoli in the second minute of stoppage time, shortly after the Partenopei had seen a penalty overturned following a VAR review.
There was more drama to come at the death as Anguissa headed home in the sixth minute of stoppage time, though Napoli also had to survive one last scare as Pontus Almqvist was denied by Alex Meret at the other end.
Data Debrief: Flying start for Lukaku
Just as Napoli's hopes seemed to be slipping away, up stepped debutant Lukaku to level with a low strike, setting the stage for the most remarkable of comeback victories.
Across the last five Serie A campaigns, Lukaku has 29 goals in 48 home games for Inter, Roma and Napoli. That is the fewest home games required by any player to net over 25 goals in the competition during that span.
Parma, meanwhile, were left to rue the sending-off of Suzuki, who became their first goalkeeper to see red in Serie A since Antonio Mirante against Sassuolo, back in March 2015.
Brentford 3-1 Southampton: Bees begin life after Toney with comfortable win
Brentford began life without Ivan Toney with a comfortable 3-1 victory over Southampton.
Bryan Mbeumo’s brace and a Yoane Wissa goal proved to be the difference between the two sides and condemned the Saints to their third straight loss since promotion back to the Premier League.
With departed striker Toney watching in the stands after his move to Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia, the hosts proved too strong for Russell Martin’s men. They created the superior chances and capitalised on an error-strewn performance from Southampton’s backline.
Mbeumo opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time before doubling the lead halfway through the second period and Wissa then got on the scoresheet moments later to continue Brentford’s strong start to the campaign. Yukinari Sugawara bagged a consolation in injury time for the Saints.
Brentford sit in fifth place ahead of the first international break, while Southampton are second-bottom of the league table with zero points.
Data debrief: Wissa continues to prove effective at home
Wissa now has five goals and two assists in his last seven matches at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Brentford have recorded consecutive home league wins for the first time since last November, and the first time in their opening home games since August 2018.
Brentford 3-1 Southampton: Bees begin life without Toney with comfortable win
Brentford began life without Ivan Toney with a comfortable 3-1 victory over Southampton.
Bryan Mbeumo’s brace and a Yoane Wissa goal proved to be the difference between the two sides and condemned the Saints to their third straight loss since promotion back to the Premier League.
With departed striker Toney watching in the stands after his move to Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia, the hosts proved too strong for Russell Martin’s men. They created the superior chances and capitalised on an error-strewn performance from Southampton’s backline.
Mbeumo opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time before doubling the lead halfway through the second period and Wissa then got on the scoresheet moments later to continue Brentford’s strong start to the campaign. Yukinari Sugawara bagged a consolation in injury time for the Saints.
Brentford sit in fifth place ahead of the first international break, while Southampton are second-bottom of the league table with zero points.
Data debrief: Wissa continues to prove effective at home
Wissa now has five goals and two assists in his last seven matches at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Brentford have recorded consecutive home league wins for the first time since last November, and the first time in their opening home games since August 2018.
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