Napoli: Lucca nets four, promising signs for Conte | OneFootball

Napoli’s summer training camp ends with more than one reason to smile. Among the most anticipated protagonists is Lorenzo Lucca, who has established himself as the top scorer of the preseason friendlies with four goals in seven matches.

Napoli, Lucca the Azzurri’s Summer Striker: Four Goals and Encouraging Signs for Conte

The striker, who arrived to support Romelu Lukaku and develop behind him, is already proving he can be a credible alternative in Antonio Conte’s new Napoli.

The Goal Against Olympiacos

In the last friendly against Olympiacos, Lucca came on for Lukaku and scored the second goal at the end of a textbook team move: ball recovery by De Bruyne, a forty-meter sprint and a vertical assist for McTominay, who delivered a precise cross to the far post. The Italian striker lunged at the ball, stretching out and finding the winning touch.

A goal that certifies his form and confirms his growth in a technical-tactical context that highlights physicality and runs into the box.

Napoli Ends Training Camp with Positive Signs

Despite Lukaku’s absence, which deprived the team of a key offensive reference point, Napoli showed defensive solidity and new tactical solutions. In addition to the 4-3-3, Conte has worked persistently on the 4-1-4-1, a formation that allows both the quantity and quality of the midfield to shine. The impression is of a team on the rise, capable of conceding very little and striking quickly in transition.

Conte Cautions Against Comparisons: “Lucca is Not a Finished Player”

In a press conference, Antonio Conte wanted to clarify the growth path of the new signings, focusing in particular on Noa Lang and Lorenzo Lucca.

About Lang, the former PSV player, the coach specified:“We can’t compare him to Kvaratskhelia. Kvara was bought for 10 million and sold for 75, Lang arrived for 25. They are two different situations: Lang needs to settle in and grow, while we are completing the squad rather than revolutionizing it.”

About the young striker, Conte explained:“Lucca is not a finished player. He’s here to grow behind Lukaku, who has scored over 300 goals in his career. He has significant potential, but it needs to be nurtured. We shouldn’t expect every new signing to already be the best in his role: some are ready, like De Bruyne, others need to be developed and integrated into our project.”

A Vice-Lukaku to Develop

The club and Conte have chosen Lucca as an investment for the future, aware that his growth will also come from observing and learning daily from the Belgian. The former Pisa and Ajax striker, strong in height and progression, represents a profile that complements Lukaku and could become a significant alternative over the course of the season.

For now, Lucca enjoys the symbolic title of “Azzurri’s summer striker” and the first convincing signs in a Napoli shirt. The road is still long, but all the conditions are there for a step up in quality.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.