Lukaku: Conte almost froze me out of Inter squad | OneFootball

Romelu Lukaku believes Antonio Conte’s way of living football bodes well for his mentality, although he revealed their relationship went through some tense moments, one of which almost led the coach to put the Belgium international ‘out of the squad’ at Inter.

The duo reunited at Napoli after spending two seasons together at the San Siro, where the 31-year-old was instrumental in his former side’s title-winning campaign with 24 Serie A goals.

Napoli’s Romelu Lukaku (R) celebrates after scoring the 0-1 goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and SSC Napoli, in Milan, Italy, 29 October 2024. EPA-EFE/DANIEL DAL ZENNARO

Conte has long been renowned as a big admirer of Lukaku, and after persuading Inter to sign him from Manchester United, he also pushed to bring him to the Stadio Diego Maradona last summer, with the striker eager to work again with a manager he could ‘open up to on a personal level’.

Lukaku: Conte’s attention to detail makes you ‘a winner’

“Everyone knows his value as a coach and as a person in my life, both on and off the field,” he told Radio CRC, as quoted by Fcinternews.

“I know I can open up to him on a personal level; he understands me and knows the sacrifices I make for football.

“I can explain how I feel, his mentality and his way of living football is perfect for me. He is always attentive to the details, he cares about every movement, every play in both defence and attack.

“We are so well-prepared that you can’t make mistakes; this responsibility is something I really enjoy, and he is a coach who improves every player. These things make you a winner.”

NAPLES, ITALY – DECEMBER 08: Antonio Conte Napoli head coach during the Serie A match between Napoli and SS Lazio at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on December 08, 2024 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)

Lukaku’s stint at Inter demonstrated how Conte was able to get the best out of him, as the Belgian striker recalled a moment that gave him a boost in ‘mental strength.’

“When I arrived at Inter, we were doing sprints during training, and that day I skipped a preparation block,” he continued.

“He called me into his office and told me that if I did it again, I would be out of the squad.

“We were going to play against Sassuolo, and psychologically he gave me a great boost because I played well. From that moment on, we connected even more, he wanted to give me mental strength, and he succeeded.”

On a comparison between Italian and English football, Lukaku added: “Serie A is getting closer to the Premier League, I spent nine years in England, and now I’m in my fifth year in Italy.”

“I have to be honest, we need to look at the results of Italian teams in European competitions. In the Conference League, Fiorentina reached the final twice, and Roma won it, Atalanta won the Europa League, and Inter also reached the Champions League final.”