Conte explains how Romelu Lukaku resembles Erling Haaland

During a recent interview, Antonio Conte explained how Romelu Lukaku resembles Erling Haaland as a powerful striker today.

In recent years, strikers like Erling Haaland and Romelu Lukaku have marked a tendency that favors powerful players upfront. These are forwards with an impressive physique but incredible positional skills and talent with the ball at their feet. Such is the case of both players, who are brilliant despite their tank-like build. But Romelu Lukaku took a number of years to reach his true potential, something he found under Antonio Conte.

The Italian manager should take all the credit for getting the best out of the Belgian striker. We can finally see the same player for his club and for the Belgium National Team. But Conte went a little further by comparing Lukaku’s abilities to Erling Haaland. We aren’t sure if this comparison is worthy but Antonio Conte certainly thinks so. His results at Inter Milan speak for themselves. Lukaku kept fighting for the goal-scoring title and became last season’s Serie A top player.

🎙️ Conte: "Ecco perché ho sempre voluto Lukaku"
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Antonio Conte racconta Romelu Lukaku negli studi di Sky Sport: l'allenatore spiega perché l'ha inseguito così tanto prima di poterlo allenare all'Inter
➡️ https://t.co/oAmBcum4WQ
➖#SkyUCL #ChampionsLeague #Conte #Lukaku pic.twitter.com/OWYw2qRcK9
— skysport (@SkySport) September 29, 2021

Conte’s makes a bold comparison between both players.

As per Sky Sport Italia, here’s what Conte said about Lukaku: “He is a very specific striker. Bringing Lukaku into the box, he is dangerous. However, when he starts from midfield, he is incredibly quick. It is very difficult to find a player who is both a target man, but can also run from midfield. These are also characteristics I can see in Erling Haaland. I had been tracking Lukaku for a very long time and wanted him when I was at Chelsea, even when he was at West Brom.

“It’s a tactical situation too, a center-forward who goes looking for the opposition defender, backs into him and lays it off for whoever is supporting him. That is a tactical approach used in basketball as well. The good thing about Romelu is that he can hurt you anywhere. If you keep him far away from the penalty area, he can kill you with his pace. If you have him in the box, he has the physicality to be a target man.”