Sh*ck After Win: Conte Reveals Disappointment With Lukaku

Napoli manager Antonio Conte has expressed disappointment with striker Romelu Lukaku after the Belgian reportedly missed training and visited the club’s training ground without speaking to him.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Conte made the remarks after Napoli’s 4-0 Serie A victory over Cremonese on Friday, April 24, amid reports the club is considering disciplinary measures, and possibly legal action, over Lukaku’s absence from training earlier in the week. The forward had spent the international break in Belgium recovering from injury before returning to Italy for discussions with club officials.

Speaking to DAZN, Conte said he was surprised by Lukaku’s conduct, revealing that although the striker was at the training ground and close to his office, he did not make contact or exchange greetings with him. The Napoli boss said he found the situation disappointing, especially given his expectation of at least a message or brief interaction.

Conte added that while he understands players’ situations and often tries to accommodate them, he felt there was little effort made to understand the coach’s perspective in this instance.

Lukaku has endured an injury-hit campaign, struggling with a recurring hamstring problem since August and making only seven appearances this season, with his last match coming in early March. He is currently working to regain full fitness before the season concludes.

With his contract at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona set to run until the end of next season, the 32-year-old now faces the challenge of repairing his relationship with Conte while also pushing to revive his hopes of returning to the Belgium national team ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.