Napoli Striker On Partnership With Argentina Superstar While At Inter Milan: ‘His Qualities Perfectly Combined With Mine’ | OneFootball

Napoli striker Romelu Lukaku feels that he and Lautaro Martinez “combined perfectly” while at Inter Milan.

Speaking to Belgian program Friends of Sports, via FCInterNews, the 31-year-old also talked about what he learned from coach Antonio Conte when they first worked together at the Nerazzurri.

Lukaku spent a total of three seasons at Inter.

The Belgian’s second spell lasted just one campaign. It was a frustrating one as he struggled with injury, and ended with a shock rift between the striker and the club.

However, Lukaku’s first go around at Inter was an undeniably successful one.

The former Everton and Manchester United striker was Inter’s key man in attack. He finished both of his first two seasons at Inter as the club’s top scorer.

Moreover, in the 2020-21 campaign – in which the Nerazzurri won the Serie A title – Lukaku was named as the best player in all of the Italian top flight.

Lukaku was unplayable for long stretches of that season.

But the Belgian also got help. He was playing in the perfect system for him under coach Conte, for one thing.

And Lukaku also found exactly the right foil to get the best out of him in Martinez.

The Argentine has also formed lethal partnerships with Edin Dzeko and Marcus Thuram. Getting the best out of other strikers is certainly one of his strengths.

Romelu Lukaku: “I Combined Perfectly With Lautaro Martinez At Inter”

Lukaku looked back on how he fit in at Inter under Conte.

“As soon as I arrived at Inter, Antonio Conte literally said straight to my face: ‘Listen to me, in my system of play you can’t keep hold of the ball too much,'” the Belgium recalled.

“You have to give it right back immediately,” he went on. “You don’t have to play like Lautaro.”

“From that moment Lautaro and I knew we had to pass the ball to each other,” Lukaku continued.

“And that Lautaro’s qualities combined perfectly with mine.”

“So Conte’s system suited me personally,” Lukaku noted.

The Belgian noted that “We trained continuously on passing the ball.”

“So at a certain point I knew full well where he or Sanchez or whoever was playing was going to be.”

Lukaku made clear that “Now the same happens with Kvaratskhelia.”

The 31-year-old is starting to form a well-functioning attacking partnership with Napoli forward Kvaratskhelia under his old Inter coach Conte.

“Conte creates a sort of partnership between the players. The same thing is also the case with McTominay.”