Former Genoa and Perugia goalkeeper Simone Braglia believes that when Romelu Lukaku was at Inter, the entire team was built to support the striker.
Speaking to Italian broadcaster TMW Radio, Braglia gave the view that part of the reason that the Belgian hasn’t settled in at his new club Chelsea is that he is not the main man as he was at the Nerazzurri.
Lukaku was hugely impactful in his two seasons with the Nerazzurri, leading the team for goals in both and also topping the assist charts in his second campaign as he helped the team to the Scudetto.
However, this went both ways, with the Nerazzurri being set up to get the best out of Lukaku’s characteristics under coach Antonio Conte.
The striker had a good understanding with his teammates, tasked with a large share of the work in attack but also receiving significant support, something which is yet to really emerge in the Premier League.
“Last year he was on fire,” Braglia stated of the Belgian, “but sometimes players find the right environment in which they do not fully offer their potential. At Inter they all played for him, perhaps at Chelsea he is not the same kind of talisman.”
He also had words for Nerazzurri captain Samir Handanovic, who he said “Has the character to withstand a lot of pressure. Never overly flashy, but a great goalkeeper.”