Romelu Lukaku returns! Napoli striker in line for first game of the season after recovering from horror injury ahead of AC Milan showdown

After four months of rehabilitation following a serious thigh injury sustained in pre-season, the 32-year-old forward boarded the flight from Naples Capodichino airport on Tuesday afternoon, bound for Riyadh. His inclusion in the squad list marks the end of a gruelling recovery process that has kept him on the sidelines for 124 days, a period described by club insiders as one of the most challenging of his career.

The injury that derailed Lukaku's season occurred in August during a friendly match against Olympiacos. What was initially hoped to be a minor knock turned out to be a "high-grade tear" to his rectus femoris that required surgery, effectively ruling him out of the entire first half of the Serie A campaign.

For Conte, who pushed hard to reunite with his former Inter protege, the loss was a significant blow. Napoli were forced to navigate the opening months of their title defence without their marquee summer signing, relying instead on a rotation of Lorenzo Lucca and late-window arrival Rasmus Hojlund to lead the line. While the team has managed to stay competitive - sitting two points behind Serie A leaders Inter - the absence of Lukaku's physical dominance and hold-up play has been keenly felt, particularly in the Champions League group stages where they have struggled for consistency.

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The timing of his return could not be more dramatic. Napoli face AC Milan in the Supercoppa semi-final at the Al-Awwal Park Stadium in Riyadh on Thursday, December 18. It is a high-stakes encounter against a direct rival, and the perfect stage for Lukaku to announce his comeback.

Although he has been back in full team training since early December, visibly telling reporters "see you soon" during a session at the Konami Training Centre last week, Conte has resisted the temptation to rush him back. He was left out of the squad for the recent Champions League trip to Benfica to ensure he was fully conditioned for this specific tournament.

Reports from La Repubblica and Corriere dello Sport suggest that while Lukaku is travelling and available, he is likely to start on the bench. The medical staff have given the green light for his involvement, but match fitness remains the final hurdle. Conte is expected to unleash him as an impact substitute, hoping his mere presence can psychologically unsettle a Milan defence that has historically struggled to contain him.

Lukaku featured 36 times and scored 14 goals as Napoli claimed the Serie A title last season. They have struggled to build consistency in recent weeks, suffering two straight defeats to damage their Serie A and Champions League campaigns ahead of this week's trip to Saudi Arabia. The tournament in the Middle East represents a chance to reset the narrative of the season and integrate the Belgian into a system that was built around him.

With the semi-final against the Rossoneri looming, and a potential final against Inter or Bologna on the horizon, Napoli fans will be hoping their number nine can make up for lost time. If he can rediscover the form that made him the MVP of Serie A under Conte previously, the "horror" of the last four months will be quickly forgotten in the desert heat of Riyadh. After that, Napoli will close out the year with an away game against Cremonese in Serie A.