Romelu Lukaku, the 103-kilogram striker who has scored in three consecutive games since joining AS Roma, has hit back at his detractors as he regains his confidence.
“After scoring a goal against Torino, Lukaku posted a strong message on Instagram, quoting a rapper’s song,” Italian media outlet Area Napoli reported on Sept. 26 (KST).
Roma played Torino FC to a 1-1 draw in the fifth round of the 2023/24 Italian Serie A at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino in Turin, Italy, on May 25.
Roma took the lead in the 22nd minute through Lukaku, but had to settle for a point after conceding a late equalizer. In the opening minutes, Lukaku used his physicality to his advantage, turning his back on a defender before unleashing a stunning left-footed turner that rattled the net for his second league goal.
The draw in Turin leaves Roma in 13th place in the league with just five points (W1 D2 L2) from their opening five games, but they have reason to smile at Lukaku’s recent performances.
Lukaku, the 6-foot-3, 191-pound Belgian attacker who was the center of attention during the summer transfer window of 2023 when he became the subject of controversy over his move from Chelsea to Inter Milan, signed a loan deal with Roma on March 31 and will wear the number 90 shirt for the Giallorossi this season.
Since joining the Giallorossi, Lukaku has become their mainstay, scoring in each of their last three games. He scored his debut goal for Roma in the 7-0 league victory over Empoli in the fifth round of the league on April 18 and followed it up with the winner in the 2-1 victory over Moldovan club FC Sheriff Tiraspol in the first leg of the 2023/24 UEFA Europa League Group G match on April 22.
Having scored in each of the previous two games, Lukaku was in fine form in Turin, scoring his third goal in as many games.
Meanwhile, Lukaku, who is becoming a key part of Roma’s attacking lineup, decided to use his newfound confidence to hit back at his detractors.
According to Area Napoli, after the Turin game, Lukaku took to social media to quote French rapper Niska’s song “Bâtiment,” saying, “They criticized me. That’s the fucking truth,” he wrote. Lukaku’s message was reportedly motivated by the criticism and ridicule he received from many before he joined Roma.
Lukaku was one of the biggest names in the transfer market last summer. Initially, he came very close to joining Inter Milan from Chelsea in the summer, but when he heard that another Italian giants, Juventus, wanted him, he secretly organized a move to Juventus instead.레고토토
However, when the news broke, Inter Milan expressed their disappointment and eventually pulled out of the race for Lukaku.
With Juventus also falling out of favor with Chelsea over the transfer fee, talks broke down and Lukaku became a lame duck. Chelsea wanted to send Lukaku to Saudi Arabia for a big-money deal, but the player himself was adamant that he would never go to the Middle East, further burning Chelsea’s bridges.
Lukaku still refused to train with Chelsea and swallowed his pride by refusing to play for his original club, and just days before the transfer deadline, he agreed to join Roma on loan at the suggestion of his old mentor, Jose Mourinho. Lukaku arrived at Roma to a warm welcome from the fans and is ready to become a ‘Mourinho warrior’.
Lukaku made his Roma debut as a substitute against AC Milan in the third round of the league on February 2, and within two games, he began to live up to the expectations of Mourinho and the fans, scoring his debut goal. Lukaku then went on to score in three consecutive games, sending Roma fans into a frenzy and silencing his detractors.
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