Napoli coach Antonio Conte heaped reward on Romelu Lukaku after he scored and supplied two assists of their dominant 4-0 victory at Cagliari on Sunday.
Lukaku was reunited together with his former Inter boss Conte, beneath whom he scored 24 targets because the Nerazzurri gained the Scudetto in 2020-21, forward of Napoli loaning wantaway striker Victor Osimhen to Galatasaray this month.
He has made a flying begin to life in Naples, netting in a 2-1 win over Parma forward of the worldwide break, then getting on the scoresheet once more as Cagliari have been swatted apart on matchday 4.
He additionally laid on assists for Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, simply the third time he has scored and supplied a number of assists in a single recreation in Europe’s prime 5 leagues. Two of these cases have come beneath Conte.
Chatting with Sky Sports activities Italia after Sunday’s recreation, Conte outlined why he was so eager to deliver Lukaku in.
“I’ve at all times mentioned that I needed Romelu at Inter, had additionally requested him at Chelsea earlier than he went to Manchester United, as a result of he’s an atypical striker,” Conte mentioned.
“He’s extraordinarily tall and bodily robust, but additionally excellent at sprinting ahead. His situation continues to be nowhere close to optimum, however he turns into basic for us.”
The victory took Napoli prime of the desk forward of Inter’s journey to Monza in a while Sunday, with the Partenopei registering three straight wins after beginning with a humiliating 3-0 loss at Verona.
Conte, nevertheless, has dismissed ideas his group are able to compete for the Scudetto, saying they’ve a lot extra work to do.
“I do really feel that for the time being all groups are settling down nonetheless, because the switch window closed late and we’re all looking for our form,” Conte mentioned.
“We have to maintain enhancing on duels all around the subject, conserving targeted and concentrated, as a result of that’s what you require in Serie A.
“We’ve labored onerous during the last two and a half months, we’ve obtained to placed on the blinkers and maintain pushing ahead with out taking a look at anybody else.”
