Lukaku Faces Napoli Backlash After Unauthorized Belgium Stay
Romelu Lukaku is reportedly facing significant consequences from Napoli, both financially and on the pitch, after deciding to remain in Belgium without the club's authorization.
Lukaku's choice to stay in Belgium following his withdrawal from the national team has angered the Serie A club. He plans to continue his rehabilitation and training in Antwerp at a specialized clinic, similar to where Kevin De Bruyne recovered from a high-degree muscle injury.
This defiance of club regulations is expected to result in a substantial fine for the former Inter, Roma, and Chelsea striker, who was scheduled to return to Napoli's training center today. While discussions between Lukaku's representatives and the club are ongoing, reports indicate he is unwilling to return to Naples before next week.
Coach Antonio Conte is also currently on a break, but with the club's full agreement, leaving assistant Cristian Stellini in charge of training sessions. Lukaku's unauthorized absence has equally displeased both the club and Conte. Consequently, the Belgian forward faces a challenging road ahead to secure consistent playing time during the remainder of the season.
Having only recently returned from a severe muscle injury sustained in August, Lukaku has played sparingly, accumulating less than 60 minutes across several competitions and scoring just one goal. His current decision is anticipated to further restrict his playing opportunities, potentially endangering his spot in Belgium's World Cup squad.
Fresh materials — Football news
Palladino on Bologna Task: ‘I Don’t Have a Magic Wand in Three Days’
Raffaele Palladino has been presented at Bologna’s Nicolo Galli training centre, taking over from the dismissed Domenico Tedesco. The team sits at the bottom of the league, with a critical match just three days away. Palladino expressed gratitude for the club's approach. “They showed me immense bel
Grabara's Juventus Debut: Assist and Opening Goal Against NEC Nijmegen
Kamil Grabara marked his Juventus debut by assisting Nico Gonzalez's opening goal in the Europa League match against NEC Nijmegen. Nine minutes into the game, the summer signing launched a long goal kick. Gonzalez, making a central run, received the ball and found himself one-on-one with NEC go
Amorim: Milan lacked presence in first half, ready to adjust tactics
Ruben Amorim acknowledged Milan's struggles in the first half of their Europa League match against Benfica, which ended in a 2-0 defeat. He suggested a potential mental hurdle for the team and expressed his willingness to modify his tactical approach. Amorim had previously stated his intent
Saelemaekers: Milan Must Work Harder After Benfica Loss
Alexis Saelemaekers underscored that Milan ‘have no excuse’ following the 2-0 defeat to Benfica in the Europa League. He stressed the necessity to ‘work harder and ensure we don’t repeat these errors.’ The Rossoneri are facing difficulties after their Europa League opener ended in a 2-0 hom
Why Calhanoglu Missed Inter's Squad for Udinese Clash
Inter is set to face Udinese in Serie A on Monday evening. However, Hakan Calhanoglu has been excluded from the matchday squad due to muscle fatigue, according to pre-match reports. This exclusion comes as Inter prepares for one of three Serie A fixtures scheduled for Monday evening, alongside To
Thuram Praises Inter's Resilience and Bonny's Impact After Udinese Thriller
Marcus Thuram stated that Inter's comeback wins demonstrate their capacity as a team to "know how to react." He also acknowledged the valuable contributions of substitutes like Ange-Yoan Bonny following their 5-3 victory against Udinese. The match echoed Inter's past reputation for dramat