Napoli’s head coach, Antonio Conte, departed the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona with a sense of satisfaction following his team’s dominant 4-0 victory over a struggling Cremonese. For the most part, Conte appeared pleased during his post-match interviews, acknowledging the strong performances of several key players and the squad’s determination to bounce back after their recent 2-0 defeat to Lazio.
However, the mood shifted when the topic of Romelu Lukaku arose. The Belgian striker rejoined Napoli earlier this week after an unusual absence, having failed to report for training in March and consequently being fined by the club for his unapproved departure.
Conte revealed his feelings regarding Lukaku’s return: “No, I haven’t had the chance yet. I know one of our directors spoke to him, he came to the training ground, my office was right there… but nobody knocked on the door – and that really disappointed me because I would have expected a greeting, a message or something.”
He further elaborated on the dynamic, stating, “In these situations, the coach tries to understand everyone, but no one makes the effort to understand the coach.”
This lack of communication clearly indicates that the relationship between Lukaku and Napoli is not what it once was, fueling ongoing speculation about his future with the club. Lukaku’s season has been hampered by a pre-season injury that sidelined him for much of the campaign, and his recent absence has further limited his involvement.
While Lukaku played a more significant role in Napoli’s Scudetto-winning season last year, the club has since brought in new forwards, Rasmus Hojlund and Giovane. Hojlund, in particular, has effectively filled the void left by the Belgian during his absence.
English Translation:
Napoli head coach Antonio Conte left the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona a happy man tonight, after his side delivered a convincing 4-0 win against a struggling Cremonese. Conte was, for the most part, all smiles in his post-match comments, where he praised some of his team’s top performers on the night and the squad’s desire for revenge after the 2-0 loss to Lazio last weekend.
However, the coach sounded more forlorn when asked about Romelu Lukaku. The Belgian returned to Naples earlier this week after a peculiar absence in which the Belgian failed to report for training in March and was subsequently fined by the club for his unauthorised absence.
Conte was asked if he had the chance to speak to Lukaku yet and, with quotes via TuttoMercatoWeb, the coach revealed the latest: “No, I haven’t had the chance yet. I know one of our directors spoke to him, he came to the training ground, my office was right there… but nobody knocked on the door – and that really disappointed me because I would have expected a greeting, a message or something.”
He added, “In these situations, the coach tries to understand everyone, but no one makes the effort to understand the coach.”
Clearly, a sign that all is not as it once was with Lukaku at Napoli, as speculation continues to grow over his future. The Belgian suffered an injury in pre-season that kept him out for most of the campaign and his latest absence means he has played a bit-part role. Lukaku played a bigger part in Napoli’s Scudetto winning campaign last season but the club have brought in both Rasmus Hojlund and Giovane this season, the former having at least plugged the gap left by the Belgian in the meantime.
