Napoli have confirmed that Romelu Lukaku did not attend a training session on Tuesday. The club announced that it will take appropriate disciplinary action, which may include freezing the striker out of the first team.
The club made the announcement in a statement on Tuesday, signalling their intent to address Lukaku’s absence firmly. Napoli are considering several measures in response to the incident. Lukaku had withdrawn from the Belgium national team last week due to poor fitness. Instead of returning to Naples, he stayed in Belgium to train individually.
Serie A: Full coverage
“SSC Napoli can confirm that Romelu Lukaku did not respond to today’s call to return to training. The club reserves the right to consider taking the appropriate disciplinary action, as well as to determine whether the player will continue to train with the team for an indefinite period,” read the statement from Napoli.
Earlier reports indicated that Napoli would exclude Lukaku from the team if he failed to return by Tuesday. However, the club’s statement suggests that the response could be more severe, as legal experts at Napoli are currently reviewing the case.
Depending on the terms of the agreement between Napoli and Lukaku, the club may even contemplate terminating his contract. All possible outcomes are under careful consideration.
WHAT LUKAKU SAID ABOUT HIS ABSENCE
Lukaku said that he was having inflammation and liquid in his hip flexor muscle and decided to do his rehab in Belgium. The Belgian said that he would never turn his back on Napoli and is looking to get back to full fitness.
“The truth is the last few weeks I wasn’t feeling right physically and I had it checked out while I was in Belgium and it showed that there was an inflammation and liquid on my hip flexor muscle next to my scar tissue,” Lukaku said on Monday.
“Since it is the second problem I had since coming back early November, I chose to do the rehab in Belgium so I can help when called upon. I could never turn my back on Napoli, never. There’s nothing more I would love to do than play and win (with) my team. But right now I have to make sure I am clinically a 100%.”
Napoli are set to return to competitive action on Monday, April 6, when they host second-placed Milan at the Stadio Maradona.
– Ends
Source link
[ad_3]
