Inter striker Romelu Lukaku is already looking to be in good physical condition for the upcoming season despite having only returned this week from his EURO 2020 campaign with Belgium and extended vacation.
This according to today’s print edition of Turin-based newspaper Tuttosport, who report that the Belgian looked close to his best during Wednesday’s friendly against Serie B side Crotone.
Lukaku will be a crucial player for the Nerazzurri as they look to defend last season’s Scudetto crown, having already been a talismanic figure during the title-winning campaign.
Lautaro Martinez is set to miss the Nerazzurr’s Serie A opener against Genoa while Alexis Sanchez is a doubt through injury, and the presence of an experienced top-quality option in attack will be vital.
Accordingly, Inter head coach Simone Inzaghi will be determined to see Lukaku at or near his best in time for the beginning of the season.
As Tuttosport highlight, the 28-year-old is already approaching the version of himself who finished last season top of Serie A for combined goals and assists.
“The Belgian went to training camp on Sunday evening and after two days of training, on Wednesday he was already on the pitch for 45 minutes against Crotone,” writes the newspaper, “But let’s be clear – this was not a trip to regain confidence with the field, his teammates and opponents.”
They continue, “Lukaku against the Calabrians played a real 45 minutes, running, shouting, looking for a goal insistently as though he were looking for a goal to make him top scorer and getting angry at not having succeeded.”
The newspaper highlights in particular the workrate and intensity of the Belgian striker shown after only a few days of training.
“But above all,” they write, “‘Big Rom’ showed physical fitness that make some players currently involved in the Tokyo Olympics pale in comparison. The Belgian is polished, he is in such a condition that if the season started tomorrow, he would be ready to drag the team.”
