Napoli announce Lukaku punishment

It was a perfect debut season. In one year, 14 goals in Serie A, another 10 assists, and above all – the Italian championship title, only the fourth in the club’s history. Romelu Lukaku became one of the city’s heroes overnight and, like many before him, experienced how deeply people in the south can love. About ten months later, he also learned how difficult they can be when angered. Today, Napoli reacted quite angrily to the decision of “Big Rom” to independently remain in Belgium for treatment, even though his contractual obligations require him to return to Naples to stay under the supervision of the club’s medical staff and coaching team.

After a season in which, due to serious hamstring problems, he played only 64 minutes, Lukaku has clearly placed national team interests above club duties. In Naples, they may still hope to make up a six-point gap behind Inter and defend the title—although they have already been eliminated from the Champions League and Coppa Italia, despite winning the Super Cup—Lukaku has evidently shifted his focus to the World Cup. As expected, this did not sit well with Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis, who had already warned Lukaku on Friday, when the news broke, that he would face consequences if he followed through with his plan. He was given an ultimatum to report to the Castel Volturno training center by 11:30 today, but he failed to do so.

Lukaku angers Napoli and Conte

The situation is no longer just speculation—it is now fully public.

“Napoli announces that player Romelu Lukaku did not respond to the request to resume training today. The club reserves the right to decide on appropriate disciplinary measures, as well as whether the player will remain active within the team,” the club said in an official statement. Those “appropriate disciplinary measures” will likely be financial penalties, although it is questionable how much that would affect a player earning 8.5 million euros net per year. A far more serious consequence for Lukaku would be being permanently excluded from the squad, because no matter how well he trains individually, it’s clear he would not be in peak condition for the World Cup—if he even makes it there.

Napoli were particularly hurt by the fact that even a call from sporting director Giovanni Manna had no effect. Lukaku responded only via Instagram, claiming he would “never turn his back on Napoli,” but also stressing the need to ensure he is 100% fit, which he has not been lately, and that it has affected his mental health. All of that may be true—he also recently lost his father—but in the end, he is bound by contract, and no player has the right to decide unilaterally where and how to undergo treatment. His contract runs until June of 2027, although after this episode, it is hard to imagine him staying in Naples next season. Italian media suggest there are already indications he could move to Turin and wear the jersey of Juventus.