Italian newspapers have attributed blame to the Roma striker Romelu Lukaku for the team’s 4-2 loss to Inter on Saturday, highlighting what they refer to as his ‘real problem’.
Not only did Lukaku fail to score during the match, he also missed several goal-scoring opportunities, including a second-half blunder humorously noted by Inter and Lukaku’s replacement Marcus Thuram. La Gazzetta dello Sport’s printed edition on Sunday, specifically on page eight, emphasized Lukaku’s shortcomings at the Stadio Olimpico, despite manager Daniele De Rossi coming to his defense after the game.
Additionally, both Corriere dello Sport and Gazzetta pointed out Thuram’s standout performance in comparison to Lukaku, as the French striker scored once and pressured Angelino into an own goal in the first half.
Gazzetta journalist Andrea Pugliese expressed, ‘In the end, Lukaku once again flopped in a big match. The real problem is that the Belgian is the worst player on the pitch in almost every key game.’ Pugliese highlighted Lukaku’s lacklustre performances in important matches, including derbies against Lazio, fixtures against Inter, Juventus and Milan, emphasizing that his impact has been minimal against top teams this season.
Lukaku, currently on loan at Roma from Chelsea, has not secured a permanent move option with the Giallorossi for the summer. Despite his struggle in significant games, the 30-year-old has managed to score 15 goals in 29 appearances across all competitions with Roma this season.
Lukaku’s performance in key matches has led to intensifying scrutiny from sports media, raising questions about his future with the team and the impact of his loan spell.