Jose Mourinho's AS Roma are set to face Inter Milan away on Saturday and it will be the first time Romelu Lukaku returns to his former club.
Inter burned all bridges with the Belgian after it was discovered that he held negotiations over a move to Juventus in the summer. They considered it a betrayal.
"Lukaku will play," Mourinho said when asked about a possible hostile reception for Big Rom at San Siro.
"It’s a very difficult, important match, he is important for us, especially without Dybala and Pellegrini. Lukaku must play.
"I didn’t know he was so important in Milan, because what he did, winning the Scudetto, two cups, 200 players in Inter have won a super cup.
"Afterwards it is interesting to understand why if Lukaku goes from Inter to Roma to help his coach it is a drama, while in the past Cannavaro went from Inter to Juve without problems.
"Vieri no problem, Romelu at Roma is a surprise because I didn’t think he would be in the hearts of the Inter fans."
The on-loan Chelsea striker has seven goals in nine games for Roma so far this season.
