Italy and Atalanta midfielder Matteo Pessina has given his thoughts on Inter and Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku ahead of Friday’s EURO 2020 quarterfinal clash between the Azzurri and the Red Devils.
Speaking in an official press conference today as reported by L’Interista, the 24-year-old showed optimism about Italy’s chances of progression but was also full of praise for Lukaku’s qualities.
Pessina spoke in superlative terms of the Belgian, who has already scored three goals at the tournament across Belgium’s first four games, and showed that the Italian team are taking the 28-year-old’s qualities very seriously.
Pessina, like most players in Serie A will be familiar with how dangerous Lukaku can be, with the Belgian having showed his qualities not only as a goal threat but as a complete striker as he finished last season top of the league in combined goals and assists starring for Scudetto-winners Inter.
The head-to-head encounters between Inter and Atalanta were among the marquee matches for the season, with Inter taking four points from six, though Lukaku failed to score against Gian Piero Gasperini’s formidable side despite his qualities.
The Atalanta player had this to say about Lukaku’s qualities and how he anticipates Italy trying to deal with him:
“Lukaku is the strongest Number Nine in the world. Having already played against him can be an advantage, but we already saw yesterday against Portugual, that he manages to play against two or three defenders all on his own.”
