Champions League
Lukaku disappointment of the season? Inter lost the Champions League, Belgium the World Cup
Inter fans cried a lot after Saturday’s Champions League final. Their beloved Manchester City were a more evenly matched opponent than expected, but they were betrayed by the end. Especially one man in particular, Romelu Lukaku, who has similarly blighted Belgium’s World Cup journey already this year.
Inter fans cried a lot after Saturday’s Champions League final. Their beloved Manchester City were a more evenly matched opponent than expected, but they were betrayed by the end. Especially one man in particular, Romelu Lukaku, who has similarly blighted Belgium’s World Cup journey already this year.
Romelu Lukaku got his main wish early in the season. He was given permission to leave Chelsea and began a loan spell at Inter Milan, a club where he played perhaps the best football of his career. And although Simone Inzaghi is running the club instead of Antonio Conte, the Belgian tank has played.
But after the first three rounds he was out until the World Cup in Qatar, missing first because of a hamstring injury, then he had problems with his biceps, which also ruled him out of the opening game of the group stage of the World Cup in Qatar against Canada (1: 0).
Anyway, Belgium didn’t work, they weren’t better and they needed their goal scorer in the second game. He came on for the last ten minutes, but didn’t avert the 0: 2 loss to Morocco. After that it was clear that the Red Devils had to beat the Croatians in the last round.
Lukaku didn’t come on until the second half, which may have been a fatal mistake. He missed his best chance in the 60th minute, inside the big whitewash he had the right side of the goal uncovered, but his right foot only hit the right post.
Two minutes later, Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic jumped a centre from the left, but Lukaku was so surprised that he headed over the half-empty net from the small area. Belgium’s pressure increased, but even in the 86th minute the Inter striker did not strike in a great chance, this time not hitting the target at all.
And probably the worst game of his career, Big Rom closed in the 90th minute when he failed to get a centre into the net from the small area, even though the goalkeeper was on the other side of the goal. Belgium only drew 0:0 and were eliminated from the group.
The Champions League final was very similar. He also came into the game in the second half, thwarting two big chances, or rather the two biggest ones. So in one season he thwarted his teams’ journey in two of football’s most prestigious competitions, the Champions League and the World Cup.
Source: YouTube