盧卡庫：貝尼特斯曾想召回我、埃佛頓對我的成長幫助很大 - 切爾西足球俱樂部 Chelsea Football Club

https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2021/12/16/
lukaku-on-a-vital-period--overcoming-injury-frustration-and-his-

Lukaku on a vital period, overcoming injury frustration and his Everton years

16 Dec 2021


Romelu Lukaku has revealed Rafa Benitez tried to recall him from his loan
at West Brom when the current Everton manager was in charge of Chelsea,
and ahead of tonight's meeting against his former club our striker has
also provided an update on his fitness.


https://i.imgur.com/2TuWtxE.jpg


Since suffering a nasty ankle injury against Malmo in October, Lukaku's
return to the Chelsea team has been carefully managed by Thomas Tuchel. He
started last week's draw in St Petersburg but otherwise has been used as a
substitute by our boss, who said yesterday he believes Lukaku is now ready
to play 70 minutes or more.


https://i.imgur.com/ZSwgWug.jpg
Lukaku scored on his first start since injury


Tuchel has regularly acknowledged Lukaku's desire to return to the pitch
as soon as possible while underlining the importance of not rushing his
comeback following the moment that pressed pause on his second spell as a
Chelsea.


'It was very frustrating,' said Lukaku. 'In the game I was doing well, but
that's football. Luckily the injuries I have had throughout my career
have been contact injuries. I really look after myself and do the right
things to be available all the time.


'It was a bad tackle, but it could have been much worse. The first week
coming back on the training pitch was a little bit tough. You run a bit
different, but after that once you are confident again you take it onto
another level.


https://i.imgur.com/W2VcV3p.jpg
The poor tackle that halted Lukaku's progress


'I'm feeling back to my best and now it's up to the manager to make a
decision. For the last 10 days I've been 100 per cent. I just keep on
working on the training ground, showing myself every day, and I'm waiting
for my chance now.'


Should that come tonight, Lukaku will be doing his utmost to inflict more
pain on Benitez's Toffees, who have won once in their past 10 league
outings. Lukaku puts that run of form down to injuries and believes they
would be much higher up the table if it wasn't for that.


As for Benitez, there was a chance he could have worked with him during
the second half of the 2012/13 campaign. Lukaku takes up the story.


'I met him once. I was on loan at West Brom when he came in, but he wanted
to bring me back in January. I had this clause in this contract where I
could come back in January.


'At the time I was doing quite okay at West Brom, I was 19, and I was
coming off a year where I had barely played. I was getting minutes at West
Brom and scoring goals.


https://i.imgur.com/s4OJnC8.jpg
Romelu celebrating in Baggies colours


'It was a moment where the club were thinking about my development instead
of bringing me back and playing second fiddle. If you see how the season
went, Chelsea went on to win the Europa League, and I scored 17 goals in
my first full year in the Premier League as a 19-year-old. It was good for
both sides.'


The following season Lukaku departed on loan to Everton, where he also
thrived, before sealing a permanent move to Goodison Park ahead of the
2014/15 season.


'I had very good years over there,' he reflected. 'Everton were very
important for me in my formation as a young footballer. They gave me the
opportunity to put myself on the map in the Premier League. The fans are
brilliant, playing at Goodison was very good for me, and I enjoyed every
minute of it.


https://i.imgur.com/tbuVOr2.jpg
Lukaku spent four years on Merseyside


'It was very important for me to be at a place where I could get minutes
and learn the game. Everton gave me that freedom. It will be good to see
those people again, some of the players and members of staff who are still
there, and greeting the fans will be good.


'For us, this period is going to be very important,' continued Lukaku,
turning his attention to the Blues. 'If you do well, you know it's going
to be good for us when we get to January and play our direct opponents.
That's when we have to make sure we at our best.'

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When it comes to a crisis, still keep on running.

You believe in power. It's mental power.


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