Frosty Reception Expected Between Former Inter Milan Strike Partners In Serie A Clash Vs Napoli | OneFootball

There’s likely to be another chilly reception between Lautaro Martinez and Romelu Lukaku as Inter Milan host Napoli this weekend.

This according to today’s print edition of Turin-based newspaper Tuttosport, via FCInterNews. They report that the two strikers, formerly strike partners at Inter, have hardly mended their relationship.

Between 2019 and 2021, Martinez and Lukaku had formed an effective strike partnership at Inter.

Lukaku was the player Inter brought in for big money from Manchester United. He was the team’s attacking talisman when Antonio Conte was coach.

But it was Martinez, still growing and finding his feet in Milan, who proved to be the ideal foil for Lukaku.

Then in 2021, Lukaku left Inter for Chelsea for an even larger fee than the Nerazzurri had paid for him.

But the Belgian returned to Inter just twelve months later. He re-joined on loan following a difficult season at Stamford Bridge.

When Lukaku returned, though, he was no longer the senior partner to Martinez.

By that point, the Argentine’s form had grown significantly.

Frosty Reception Expected Between Lautaro & Lukaku In Inter Napoli Clash

In the summer of 2023, Lukaku’s relationship with Inter fell through dramatically.

This was the result of the Belgian deciding to negotiate with Juventus behind the Nerazzurri’s back.

Lukaku alienated the Inter hierarchy, as well as the fans.

But it was not just that. The Belgian also grew distant from his former Inter teammates.

By all accounts, at Inter Lukaku and Martinez got along well off the pitch. Their rapport on it was helped by the fact that they clicked on a personal level.

But despite that friendship, Martinez admitted that he was unable to get Lukaku to answer his messages during the hectic summer 2023 saga.

Therefore, the two former strike partners showed no affection for each other in meetings last season, when Lukaku was a Roma player.

And according to the Gazzetta, it won’t be much different this time around.

Bitterness and hard feelings remain between Martinez and Lukaku. Therefore, there is no reason to expect more than basic professional courtesy between the two strikers.