Can Romelu Lukaku replicate Gabriel Batistuta’s success at AS Roma?
Romelu Lukaku has returned to Serie A with AS Roma on loan from Chelsea for the season, and Filippo Inzaghi believes he can replicate the success of Gabriel Batistuta at the club and fire them into title contention.
Batistuta moved to Roma from Fiorentina in 2000 and won the league title in his first season with the club. Inzaghi thinks Lukaku can have a similar influence.
‘I thought he would have stayed at Inter with my brother [Simone], but in the end, I realise he’s gone to the best team for him,’ Inzaghi told Il Messaggero.
‘He can have the same effect on Roma, similar to what Batistuta did in Florence. Do you remember it? The push towards Roma’s championship was dictated precisely by the arrival of the Argentine. The city lit up and also the team.
‘I say that Lukaku, paired with [Paulo] Dybala, can take [Jose] Mourinho to the Scudetto zone. After that I don’t know if they will be able to win. The Belgian could not have chosen a better place if he was looking for appreciation.’
Lukaku made his debut in Roma’s loss to AC Milan, coming off the bench in the second half. If Roma are going to launch a title challenge then they are going to have to improve dramatically after a poor start to the season, with just one point from three games.
Lukaku enjoyed great success in Serie A before with Inter Milan, although last season on loan with Inter was frustrated by injury and not finding his best form. He scored 14 goals in 37 appearances across all competitions and Inter reached the Champions League final, so it was hardly terrible, but it did not live up to his previous stint with the club when he scored 64 goals in 95 games.
If Lukaku can replicate Batistuta’s success at Roma then it could be a stunning success for the Belgian striker and Jose Mourinho’s side, who are looking to make a push for the Scudetto zone this season.
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