José Mourinho seems surprised Inter fans will boo Romelu Lukaku in a Serie A match at San Siro today, but the Roma boss doesn’t get the point of the Nerazzurri’s anger or pretends not to do so, writes Lorenzo Bettoni.
When Mourinho held a pre-match press conference on the eve of a Europa League clash against Slavia Prague earlier this week, most questions he faced concerned Lukaku’s imminent return to San Siro rather than the upcoming European fixture.
It is such a long-awaited event in Italy that even Mourinho’s return to the Stadio Meazza has been overshadowed. Perhaps, because this evening’s Serie A meeting between Inter and Roma will be the fourth time Mou reunites with his former club at San Siro. Moreover, Mou won’t even be on the touchline as he’ll be serving a one-match ban but don’t dare think he got a red card on purpose in the previous league game against Monza, or the Special One would think you are an idiot.
There’s no doubt Inter fans give Mourinho another hero’s welcome today even if the Special One will be in the stands and it’s precisely the opposite of what Lukaku will get. Inter legend Marco Materazzi has asked the right question about the matter. Why will they get a different treatment? Mourinho tried to defend his striker in his most recent meeting with the media, but he didn’t quite get the point.
“I didn’t know he was so important in Milan because of what he did. Winning the Scudetto and two cups. Circa 200 players have achieved the same in Inter’s history,” Mourinho said on Wednesday.
“Afterwards it is interesting to understand why if Lukaku goes from Inter to Roma it is a drama, while Calhanoglu from Milan to Inter is marvellous. Cannavaro went from Inter to Juve without problems. Vieri no problem. This is why, to me, it’s a surprise Lukaku has such an important role in Inter’s history.”
What Mourinho didn’t get or pretended not to, is that Inter fans don’t blame Lukaku because he went to Roma a club that, frankly, they don’t see as opponents in the Serie A title race. Nerazzurri supporters, from ordinary fans to ultras, are furious with the Belgian for the way he left, basing their feelings on what has been reported by the media.
Back in June, Lukaku reportedly refused to pick up the phone to Inter directors who were on the verge of completing a permanent €40m transfer from Chelsea. What really happened behind the scenes has never been revealed. Lukaku has recently claimed that he will soon clarify and explain why he didn’t return to Inter, but the Nerazzurri fans are still waiting and their ex-idol, who quickly turned into a villain last summer, will return to San Siro today.
What has increased frustration from Inter fans is that Lukaku held talks with Juventus during the summer while Inter were negotiating with Chelsea. Even if a transfer to Turin didn’t materialise, the Nerazzurri supporters saw talks between Big Rom and their harshest rivals as an insult. They had seen Lukaku leave for Chelsea in 2021. They pardoned him less than a year later, welcomed him back and supported him when Lukaku was struggling for goals in the first part of last season.
When his permanent return seemed done and sealed, Inter fans learned from the media that Lukaku hadn’t replied to Inter directors, friends and former teammates, making his transfer to San Siro collapse. Players like Federico Dimarco and Lautaro Martinez have admitted to being disappointed by Lukaku’s behaviour. El Toro even unfollowed the Belgian on Instagram. Something really personal must have happened at Pinetina and surely there is more behind the curtains which has yet to be told.
Surely, the problem for Inter fans was not to see Lukaku join Roma. When the Belgian landed in the capital in August, he had already become an enemy in the eyes of the Nerazzurri supporters. Even though local authorities in Milan have banned the 30,000 whistles bought by Inter ultras for today’s game, the San Siro crowd will find another way to make sure their former striker knows their feelings about him. It may not be the best tactic to affect Lukaku, but fans’ actions and thoughts are often not rational. Mou desperately tried to ease the pressure on his star striker but, maybe for the first time ever, he didn’t understand what Nerazzurri supporters really feel.
@lorebetto
Lukaku is the past – Thuram is in the spotlight now.
Lol Paratici , you intersista don’t learn! Who next Ballotelli ?Pogba?