Never turn your back: Lukaku reacts to Napoli row | OneFootball

Romelu Lukaku is once again making headlines. After the striker did not travel with the Belgian national team in order to preserve himself for the season finale, his decision not to return to Naples also sparked controversy. Instead of training with his teammates, he stayed in Antwerp with his family. The club reacted angrily and even threatened him with a fine or exclusion from the squad.

Now “Big Rom” has spoken out through his social media channels to clear up the situation and explain his physical issues.

"This season has been very demanding for me, between the injury and a personal loss. I am aware that there has been a lot of uproar around my situation in recent days, and it is important to clarify the matter," he writes at the beginning. 

He then went on to say: "The truth is that I haven’t been feeling physically well in recent weeks. Tests in Belgium revealed inflammation and fluid in the hip flexor area — right on the scar tissue from an old injury. I decided to undergo rehabilitation in Belgium so I can be a real help again as soon as possible."

He concluded his statement by saying that he would "never turn his back" on Napoli. "There is nothing I would rather do than play and win for my team. But right now I need to make sure I am clinically 100% fit, because my current condition has also affected my mental state. I will come back and help Naples and the national team achieve their goals," he wrote in closing. 

A familiar pattern?

Despite this explanation, there is still a bitter aftertaste, as Lukaku has clashed with his clubs several times in the past. Whether at Manchester United (where he trained in Belgium on his own initiative), at Chelsea (because of an explosive interview), or his sudden "disappearance" during negotiations with Inter Milan — the Belgian’s career has been marked by sporting success, but also by plenty of noisy side stories.

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

📸 CARLO HERMANN - AFP or licensors