Replacing Romelu Lukaku was never going to be easy, though, in Edin Dzeko, Inter may have gone some way to doing just that.
The 2021-22 campaign may still be in its infancy, but 35-year-old Dzeko has made a fantastic start as Inter look to defend the Serie A title that Lukaku's goals propelled them towards last season.
Dzeko took his tally for the season to seven with a sublime volley against Sheriff in the Champions League on Tuesday. Inter were pegged back, but the former Roma man turned from scorer to provider to tee up Arturo Vidal and swing the match back in the Nerazzurri's favour.
Heading into the first Derby d'Italia of the season, Simone Inzaghi's Inter sit three points above Juventus, who themselves have had to contend with the loss of a superstar forward.
Cristiano Ronaldo beat Lukaku in the Serie A scoring charts in 2020-21, yet while Inter, spearheaded by Dzeko and Lautaro Martinez, lead the way for goals scored so far this season with 23, Juve are lagging some 11 behind.
Using Opta data, Stats Perform assesses how the two giants of Italian football have adapted – and are still adapting – to the attackers at their disposal, and if that could prove the difference on Sunday.
Replacing Rom
Chelsea broke their transfer record to re-sign Lukaku in August for a whopping £97.5million (€115m). The cash was needed by Inter, who had already sold Achraf Hakimi to Paris Saint-Germain and lost their title-winning coach Antonio Conte as well. Lukaku had initially been happy to stay on under Inzaghi, but the pull of a return to Stamford Bridge ultimately proved too strong to turn down.
Across his two seasons with Inter, Lukaku scored 64 goals in 95 games across all competitions. Last season he scored 24 goals and set up a further 11, putting the suggestion he was merely a penalty box poacher firmly to bed. Indeed, Lukaku's tally of seven secondary assists (the pass before the assist) ranked joint-highest in Italy's top flight.
Lukaku refined his game and has returned to the Premier League a better player, leaving Inter with a huge void to fill. Dzeko represented a prudent option.
Having spent the last six seasons at Roma, Dzeko needed no adaptation to the league. He scored 85 Serie A goals during his spell in the capital, having previously played a huge role in Manchester City's Premier League title successes in 2012 and 2014.
Since his move to Wolfsburg in 2007, Dzeko has only scored under 10 goals in all competitions in three seasons, while he missed only 22 league matches during his stint with Roma. Reliable, experienced and a proven goalscorer. With Inter's financial restraints, it was a no-brainer.
Joaquin Correa, capable of playing anywhere across the frontline, has also come in to boost Inter's ranks, though the start Dzeko has made may have even exceeded the club's expectations.
Dzeko is averaging just under a goal per game in Serie A, having netted six times across eight appearances, with an impressive shot conversion rate of 35.29 per cent and scoring five of the six big chances that have come his way.
He has also picked up where Lukaku left off in terms of creativity, crafting 15 chances so far across his 11 appearances in all competitions, registering two assists.
Partners in crime
Lukaku's departure also left Inter needing to find a suitable partner for Martinez. The duo combined for eight Serie A goals last season, more than any other pairing, albeit the first of those did not arrive until matchday eight in November.
In total, Lukaku found Martinez on 68 occasions in Serie A last term (at an average of 1.9 per game), with 16 of those being key passes, and five resulting in assists.
A brilliant example of their stellar combination in action came in a pivotal 3-1 win over Lazio in February; Lukaku – on a hat-trick at the time – charging clear of a desperate defender before coolly sliding it across for the waiting Martinez to tap in.
Martinez picked out Lukaku 52 times, providing three assists and creating a total of 13 chances for his strike partner. They played 36 league matches together, accumulating 2,069 minutes.
Dzeko too, however, has been able to link up well with Martinez. On average over the seven matches they have played in, he passes to his team-mate 1.7 times per game, with the Bosnia-Herzegovina forward creating two chances for his Argentine counterpart.
Across the 357 minutes played together, the duo have found each other 22 times, though Martinez is yet to craft a chance from those passes.
Inter, who have scored 78 goals across 32 Serie A games in 2021 (only Bayern Munich have managed more across the big five European leagues), would be extremely fortunate if this partnership proves as profitable as the Lukaku-Martinez axis did, though there are certainly bright signs.
Replacing Ron
Inter might have struck gold with Dzeko, but Juve have struggled in attack early in Massimiliano Allegri's second spell in charge.
With Ronaldo gone, the onus is on Paulo Dybala. He scored against Udinese in the opening game of 2021-22 and found the net against Sampdoria last month, only to succumb to an injury that has since kept him out.
Only four players across Europe's top five leagues managed more goals in all competitions than Ronaldo did last season (36), while Alvaro Morata (20) and Federico Chiesa (14) were the only other Juve players to get into double figures.
Dybala's injury issues have derailed his last few campaigns, leaving Morata as Juve's main goal threat.
The Spain international enjoyed an impressive partnership with Ronaldo, providing four assists and creating 15 chances in 2020-21, though the favour was not returned – Morata only receiving four key passes from Ronaldo in 27 league matches.
Yet if Juve can keep Dybala fit, there may be something for Allegri to build on, with Morata playing more passes to the Argentina forward than he has done to any other team-mate so far this season (12), albeit that has only resulted in one goalscoring opportunity.
Sunday's showdown at San Siro comes too early in the season to be truly decisive, though a second successive home win over Juve would be a huge boost.
In Dzeko and Martinez, Inzaghi has a functioning strike force that has already contributed 12 goals to Inter's cause. Allegri's two central forwards, meanwhile, have only managed six between them.
Ronaldo concedes he 'can't think long term anymore'
Cristiano Ronaldo has conceded he "can't think long term anymore" as he approaches his forties.
Ronaldo, who has scored the most goals in history, is still starring for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, while he is a regular starter for Portugal under Roberto Martinez.
The former Real Madrid superstar turns 40 in February, though is showing no signs of slowing down and has already scored 10 goals for his club this season.
He also hit the 900-career goals mark when he netted for his country against Croatia in September, and has since added two more international strikes to his vast collection.
Ronaldo has publicly set out his aim to net 1,000 goals before he retires, but he knows short-term targets are now the order of the day in the twilight of his career.
"I now face my life as living in the moment. I can't think long term anymore," Ronaldo said after receiving the Platinum Quinas, the highest honour available to Portuguese players.
"I said that I wanted to reach 1,000 goals, but it seems that now everything is easy, just last month I reached 900.
"It's about living in the moment, seeing how my legs will respond in the next few years. If I reach 1,000 goals, that's fine, but if I don't, I'm already the player with the most goals in history."
FPF president Fernando Gomes hailed Ronaldo as "an ambassador for Portugal".
Ronaldo also took the chance to air his disappointment at players who chose not to represent Portugal.
He said: "I believe there is nothing better than representing the national team. Coming to play for the national team, and representing the entire country — all its culture, your children, your mother, your father, your best friends — that is why I often feel disappointed with some players who do not want to represent the national team.
"Time flies, and there is nothing better than playing. I hear many people say that Portugal is a small country. Portugal is a great country. We need to think that way; we must believe that, regardless of the country's size, we have everything: an extraordinary country, the infrastructures we have, the stadiums, the magnificent coaches we have.
"The potential of these players, the stars we have, we just need to refine a few edges and believe that one day we will be great."
Ronaldo's Portugal host Poland in the Nations League on Friday before taking on Croatia three days later.
Mead: Slegers 'a breath of fresh air' at Arsenal
Beth Mead said that Renee Slegers has been a "breath of fresh air" ahead of Arsenal's Women's Champions League tie against Juventus on Tuesday.
Slegers has been in interim charge of the Gunners since Jonas Eidevall's resignation last month, and has impressed during her temporary tenure.
She has won three of her four games at the helm, the latest of which came in a 5-0 victory against Brighton, moving Arsenal up to fourth in the Women's Super League table.
And Mead, who joined Slegers on pre-match press duties on Monday, believes Arsenal are heading in the right direction under her guidance.
“It’s a breath of fresh air with Renee and we’re enjoying it so far," Mead said. "We’re in a good place at the moment.
"We have the environment to build again, it’s a release of new energy right now and when you get the results and the performances, then it makes you a happier footballer.
When asked if she would like Slegers to stay at Arsenal, Mead added: “In some capacity. We love having Renee here and will be happy with whatever she chooses to do.”
However, Slegers revealed she was unsure about what the future may hold, placing full focus on their upcoming Champions League clash.
"I think I get this question every time, and my answer will be the same," Slegers began.
"I'm very much in the moment, I know that this will be the situation for this block, and we as the coaching staff are trying to do everything to help the girls forward.
"I think everyone is putting that little extra in from both the staff and the player's perspective. So I’m just trying to get the best out of Arsenal, because I care a lot.
"I really enjoyed the role I had before. Now I have to play this role for the team, so I’ll play this role for the team. About the future? I don't know."
Arsenal will be looking to improve their recent away from in Europe on Tuesday at the Stadio Comunale Vittorio Pozzo Lamarmora.
They are winless across their last three Champions League away matches (D1 L2), only enduring a longer run in the competition once before (D1 L3 between 2003 and 2005).
The Gunners sit second in Group C on three points, level with Tuesday's opponents, but Slegers is confident of sealing a big result in Italy.
"We are going there to play our best football, and we have a big belief in what we can do tomorrow," Slegers said.
"Looking at what we've been performing lately, and obviously scouting Juventus, we have a big belief in ourselves.
"And then we'll see how the game progresses, what decisions we have to make, but we go there to win."
Arsenal's Slegers 'a breath of fresh air', says Mead
Beth Mead said that Renee Slegers has been a "breath of fresh air" ahead of Arsenal's Women's Champions League tie against Juventus on Tuesday.
Slegers has been in interim charge of the Gunners since Jonas Eidevall's resignation last month, and has impressed during her temporary tenure.
She has won three of her four games at the helm, the latest of which came in a 5-0 victory against Brighton, moving Arsenal up to fourth in the Women's Super League table.
And Mead, who joined Slegers on pre-match press duties on Monday, believes Arsenal are heading in the right direction under her guidance.
“It’s a breath of fresh air with Renee and we’re enjoying it so far," Mead said. "We’re in a good place at the moment.
"We have the environment to build again, it’s a release of new energy right now and when you get the results and the performances, then it makes you a happier footballer.
When asked if she would like Slegers to stay at Arsenal, Mead added: “In some capacity. We love having Renee here and will be happy with whatever she chooses to do.”
However, Slegers revealed she was unsure about what the future may hold, placing full focus on their upcoming Champions League clash.
"I think I get this question every time, and my answer will be the same," Slegers began.
"I'm very much in the moment, I know that this will be the situation for this block, and we as the coaching staff are trying to do everything to help the girls forward.
"I think everyone is putting that little extra in from both the staff and the player's perspective. So I’m just trying to get the best out of Arsenal, because I care a lot.
"I really enjoyed the role I had before. Now I have to play this role for the team, so I’ll play this role for the team. About the future? I don't know."
Arsenal will be looking to improve their recent away from in Europe on Tuesday at the Stadio Comunale Vittorio Pozzo Lamarmora.
They are winless across their last three Champions League away matches (D1 L2), only enduring a longer run in the competition once before (D1 L3 between 2003 and 2005).
The Gunners sit second in Group C on three points, level with Tuesday's opponents, but Slegers is confident of sealing a big result in Italy.
"We are going there to play our best football, and we have a big belief in what we can do tomorrow," Slegers said.
"Looking at what we've been performing lately, and obviously scouting Juventus, we have a big belief in ourselves.
"And then we'll see how the game progresses, what decisions we have to make, but we go there to win."
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