Inter Milan boss slams Lukaku ‘donkey’ tag
Antonio Conte has hit back at critics who previously branded Romelu Lukaku a “donkey” after the striker’s double against Napoli saw him surpass Cristiano Ronaldo’s Serie A goal record.
Lukaku joined Inter Milan from Manchester United last summer in a deal worth £73million.
And the pressure on the 26-year-old was immense as he arrived to replace Paris Saint-Germain-bound Mauro Icardi, who scored 124 goals in just 219 games for the Nerazzurri.
But despite suffering racial abuse since moving to the San Siro, as well as negative comments from naysayers, Lukaku has taken Inter – and his own goal record – to a whole new level.
The Belgian’s brace in Sunday’s 3-1 win at Napoli means he has so far netted 14 times in Serie A this season, helping to put his side top of the table on goal difference ahead of Juventus.
It’s the most amount of goals he’s ever scored in his career after 18 league matches.
By comparison, Juventus superstar Ronaldo put away just 12 goals in the same amount of time last term after telling Lukaku Italy is the hardest country to score in.
And the new Inter fan favourite now looks on course to surpass his best-ever return of 25 goals in a league season, which occurred during the 16/17 campaign with Everton.
Doubters who dismissed Lukaku as an expensive flop before he’d even kicked a ball for Inter have certainly been made to eat humble pie.
And new boss Antonio Conte believes the hitman is thriving alongside Argentine superstar Lautaro Martinez in a powerful 3-5-2 system which plays to his greatest strengths.
Indeed, the former Chelsea boss, who won the Premier League and FA Cup during two years in West London, reckons Lukaku can get even better as Inter go in search of a first Serie A title win since 2010.
Conte said: “I heard people say Lukaku was a donkey. I heard all sorts not even that long ago!
“It’s easy to speak highly of Lukaku now, but if we look back to a few weeks ago…
“I always said Romelu was a rough diamond that needed work to smooth him out.
Romelu Lukaku beats Cristiano Ronaldo’s Serie A goal record https://t.co/MPrw1l2KhD
— The Sun Football ⚽ (@TheSunFootball) January 7, 2020
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“Lautaro Martinez is the same. These lads are 26 and 22 years old. They are still young.
“I wanted Romelu very strongly when I was at Chelsea, even back at Juventus.
“I wanted him, now I can get to work on polishing the diamond.”