Napoli, Romelu Lukaku paws: Belgian center forward sets target
Almost four months after the injury that effectively prevented him from taking the field in official matches this season, Napoli striker Romelu Lukaku has returned to training with the group. The Belgian center forward greeted fans who flocked to the Castel Volturno training center, saying a few but meaningful words: “See you soon” he said, before starting training under the orders of coach Antonio Conte, who is preparing for the Champions League match against Benfica scheduled for Wednesday in Lisbon, an engagement on which the Azzurri team’s European ambitions depend.
Lukaku, however, will not be part of the group flying to Portugal, but will remain in Naples to continue the physical preparation work ahead of the upcoming engagements. It is much more likely that he will be called up for the league match against Udinese, scheduled for Sunday, Dec. 14 at 3 p.m., although the real return should take place in Riyadh, in the Italian Super Cup semifinal scheduled against AC Milan to be played on Thursday, Dec. 18 at 8 p.m. Italian time. The technical staff will make a final decision when he returns from Portugal, evaluating the feelings of the former Anderlecht, Chelsea, West Bromwich, Everton, Manchester United, Inter Milan and Roma striker himself.
The last match played by Romelu Lukaku was the friendly between Napoli and Olympiacos last Aug. 14: the Belgian bomber, on that occasion, had come off at 33′ of the first half and the subsequent instrumental examinations had shown a high-grade injury of the rectus femoris of the left thigh, a knockout that has kept him away from the playing fields until today. For Antonio Conte, therefore, there is the prospect of choosing among three center forwards starting from the Super Cup: at the moment the starter is Rasmus Hojlund, decisive with a brace against Juventus, while he has had a little less space Lorenzo Lucca, however a starter and a goal against Cagliari in the Coppa Italia match won on penalties last December 3.
The Azzurri roster, in addition to the three role center-backs, also boasts in attack the presence of Noa Lang, David Neres, Matteo Politano and the class of 2003 Giuseppe Ambrosino, used in the Cup by Antonio Conte.
