“It would be very unwise”: Napoli immediately throws Lukaku into the fray in the hope of Champions League survival?
Finally light in the tunnel for Big Rom. After more than 5 months of injuries, the Belgian record shooter celebrated his comeback last weekend. But how sparingly do they use Lukaku in Naples? Tonight we must win against Chelsea to advance to the Champions League. “I hope they don’t bring him too soon.”
The Belgian football fan was happy to see it happen on Sunday evening. Romelu Lukaku came into action for the first time since August 14, 2025.
Our record scorer was substituted for 11 minutes in the top match lost against Juventus (3-0). After 5.5 months, that annoying period with a thigh injury was finally put to an end.
Well, that’s what everyone hopes. Because now the main thing is not to relapse – and that’s something they worry about at 90 minutes. Especially because the player poverty at Napoli is quite severe at the moment.
“Conte has stated that he will not abandon the sinking ship, but he is struggling with a lot of injuries,” Filip Joos describes the situation. “That’s why the club doctor even appeared at a press conference for the first time.”
“Apparently he did a good job. He said everyone thinks it’s due to poor preparation, but injuries can happen to a human body.”
“There really is a lot of bad luck involved this season,” Sam Kerkhofs underlined.
Lukaku made his comeback on Sunday.
Flashbacks to Qatar
The fact that Romelu Lukaku is making his return in such circumstances creates mixed feelings. “Of course it is good news. Both for Napoli and for us,” said Franky Van der Elst.
“But there are also enormous problems the club is in,” Joos emphasized again. “Tonight they have to win against Chelsea in the Champions League to survive the League Phase. And honestly? I don’t see that happening.”
To climb from 25th place into the top 24, Conte may be counting on Lukaku’s goals. “But I hope they don’t bring him in too quickly, causing him to relapse,” Joos pleaded.
Although the Serie A expert obviously also knows how Lukaku himself works. “He has a great loyalty to Conte, so it could be that he just wants to play.”
At the World Cup in Qatar, Lukaku ultimately played against Croatia even though he was not at his best.
Filip Joos
The rest of the panel also hoped that Lukaku will be spared to some extent. “It would be very unwise,” he said. “And he can simply indicate whether it will work.”
“Yes, but do you do that when it concerns 20 million euros of Champions League money?”, Joos wondered. “Lukaku ended up playing against Croatia at the World Cup in Qatar, even though he wasn’t very fit.”
“And that’s a good thing, because it was the only match in which we had chances at the time. He missed one against the post that should have gone in, and everything else was bad luck. But it was a completely different Belgium with him.”
Let that be exactly what Conte will secretly dream of: another Napoli, with Lukaku. But will he dare to take the gamble tonight, or will he be careful with his top striker?
