Napoli miss Lukaku: why the Belgian is vital for Conte’s side | OneFootball

The analysis of Gazzetta dello Sport after the hard-fought victory at 95': Napoli stays on top, but without Romelu Lukaku, they struggle to find depth and impose their own football. The arrival of Hojlund may change the balance.

Napoli without Lukaku, the lesson from Cagliari: why the Belgian forward is the pivot of Conte's game

Antonio Conte's Napoli beat Cagliari at the last breath thanks to Anguissa's goal, but the evening at Maradona confirmed a feeling already felt in recent weeks: without Romelu Lukaku, the offensive gear does not run with the same fluidity.

Lukaku, Conte's system-man

It's not just a matter of goals. Lukaku, with his physicality, knows how to bring the team up, catalyze markings, free up spaces for the insertions of midfielders and wingers. In his absence, Napoli appears more predictable, forced to seek the net through a persistent but less vertical possession.

Lucca, called to replace him, does not yet offer the same impact. As Gazzetta dello Sport points out, the young striker "does not have the same force and cannot bring up his teammates like the Belgian".

Cagliari as a litmus test

Yesterday's match was the perfect picture: predominant ball possession, patience, but few really clean chances until Anguissa's header at 95'. Even Cagliari, although crushed, had its chance at the end with Folorunsho. Without Lukaku, Napoli risks having to force games rather than manage them with the usual attack physicality.

Hojlund the key to rebalancing the attack

The purchase of Rasmus Hojlund is the club's response to this emergency. The Dane, by characteristics, is closer to Lukaku than to Lucca, but Conte's work will be crucial to speed up his insertion into the game mechanisms. The coach knows it well: a year ago, precisely against Cagliari, the championship was directed thanks to McTominay and Lukaku; yesterday, without the latter, Napoli struggled until the last minute.

A tactical relationship destined for football books

As Sebastiano Vernazza wrote, "one day books will be written about the importance of Lukaku in Conte's football and vice versa". Their understanding is a manifesto of a football that lives on strong references: Lukaku's physical presence is not just a weapon, but a principle of play.

Napoli remains at the top, but the next few weeks - and the return of the Belgian - will tell if this team will be able to maintain the same level of concreteness even without its offensive lighthouse.

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