Lukaku defended by Chelsea legend - ‘Phenomenal professional & world class striker’

Carlo Garganese

• Updated: 15 Nov 2023 16:01 GMT
• 3 min read

Romelu Lukaku has been hailed by his former Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo as a “phenomenal professional” and world class striker.

Di Matteo, also previously a wonderful midfielder for the Blues, famously led Chelsea to Champions League glory as manager in 2012.

That season Lukaku was a teenager in his first season in his first spell at Chelsea after joining from Anderlecht, although he was not part of the Champions League-winning squad.

READ MORE: ON-FIRE Romelu Lukaku shows Chelsea what they are missing

Di Matteo worked with Lukaku closely that season, first as assistant boss to Andre Villas-Boas and then as coach when AVB was sacked in the new year.

The Italian was asked by The Italian Football Podcast about how Lukaku upset both Chelsea and Inter fans with his conduct there during his second spells at both clubs.

Di Matteo was asked whether Lukaku’s sensitive nature and the need to be loved and felt needed was a reason for his fallout with both teams.

“A lot has been written about him and the choices he has made in his career,” Di Matteo told The Italian Football Podcast via DAZN Bet.

“Ultimately it is his own decision how he wants to conduct himself.

READ MORE: 'I want to adopt LeBron James' mentality' says Lukaku

“My experience of working with him as a young professional at Chelsea, I was assistant to AVB at the time, I did a lot of one on one working with him as he wanted to improve.

“He was a phenomenal professional. His mum and his family were very important to him.

“He is a sensitive person and a family person - at least he was then, I don’t know now.

“And then you make choices in your life and you live by the consequences.

“I think he has had a very good career, He may have upset some people. But I think he is a fantastic striker, he guarantees a team goals, he has always scored goals, even when he went on loan as a young player he always scored goals.

“He has become a recognised world star striker. He has achieved a lot in his career. You could argue he could have achieved more, but there are a lot of players who could say that.”

Lukaku moved on loan this past summer to Roma for the 2023-24 season.

He has enjoyed an excellent start to the campaign with the Giallorossi, scoring nine goals in 14 games in all competitions.