Lukaku and Lautaro discuss the Scudetto: "The Derby, Conte, and that celebration..."

APPIANO GENTILE - Our number nine and number ten. Quintessential numbers for those who create and those who rule. On the backs of the Nerazzurri kit, these numbers represent Lukaku and Lautaro, the most close-knit attacking duo in Serie A: 22 goals for Romelu, 16 for Lautaro, for a total of 38 goals between the pair, to go with a combined total of 19 assists.

In a long and amusing chat with DAZN, the two forwards for the Champions of Italy, Inter, recalled the Nerazzurri’s season, telling anecdotes, curiosities and much more.

THE START OF THE SEASON

Lautaro: “It was important to start the season by winning, we started working on the details, and we immediately got off on the right track”.

THE FIRST DERBY

Lukaku: “They started well, with two goals. Then we dominated the game, but unfortunately, we weren't able to put away our chances. We came out of that derby knowing that we were the strongest team. That defeat gave us the energy to start our journey towards the Scudetto”.

LUKAKU AND LAUTARO’S CELEBRATION

Lukaku: “The celebration came about because I play Call of Duty and PUBG. One evening I invited Lautaro into my room to play... But I immediately told him to leave it alone, let's just say it wasn't his sport! From there, our celebration was born”.

THEIR CHEMISTRY, ON AND OFF THE PITCH

Lautaro: “When Lukaku arrived we spoke a lot, for several hours: about movements on the pitch, about many things. The affection was born from there”.

Lukaku: “We got on right away. One of the first days after I arrived, I had a chat with Lautaro's dad, and I told him: within two years your son and I will win here. When we're on the pitch, if it's not my day and I see that Lautaro is hot, I always look for him”.

THE WIN OVER SASSUOLO

Lukaku: “I think the game against Sassuolo was the turning point. It was there that we started to think there’s a possibility of winning the Scudetto. We spoke to each other, we changed our style of play a little bit, we were more compact”.

THE PACE OF HAKIMI

Lautaro: “Achraf is a character. He was a little disoriented here at first, we’ll say, but the Coach helped him a lot, he's learning the language, and he's growing a lot”.

ELIMINATION FROM THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Lautaro: “After the defeat against AC Milan and the elimination from the cup we changed a lot: On a mental level, and even in the way we work. We wanted to win something”.

INCREASED PRESSURE

Lukaku: “We have shown our strength by winning against almost all of our opponents. We have beaten all of our direct rivals. Barella? He's always talking, and we often argue during matches, in a good way, and with Brozovic too. But we need this to give us energy, I need them, we are players who are going to war”.

THE RELATIONSHIP WITH CONTE

Lukaku: “On a personal level he has made us grow even more. When he knows that he has the trust of the players he gives them even more”.

THE SECOND DERBY

Lukaku: “The derby is always the derby, and first place was also at stake in that match. I remember the training sessions that week, preparing our tactics in matches against the Primavera. The whole week was carried out at a super level. On the second day in training, I said to Lautaro: We’re not going to lose this match, it’s impossible that we will lose it. Lautaro's goal on the pitch we had prepared in training, I had told him to play in behind Kjaer. We were ready to go, and when we got the goal, I knew it was game over for them. I scored to make it 3-0 and then I yelled out, I had talked to the Coach and he told me to close the game and I told him I would. That's the way it is with Conte, he eggs us on and then we laugh together”.

ON TEAMMATES

Lautaro: “Darmian always trains really well, he plays on the right or left, he would even play in goals, guys like him are important to have in the team. And then the defenders: they always start the plays for us as well as saving us by covering our backs, it’s nice to have such a team”.

Lukaku: “Eriksen is an artist, a maestro. In his first training session with us last year he scored two incredible goals from long range and I realised just how good he was”.

THE SCUDETTO

Lukaku: “After the home win against Atalanta I said: I'm not saying it's done but we're on for the Scudetto. On the Sunday of Sassuolo vs. Atalanta I was at home with my son, he was celebrating too. It was the first time I had won something important, I went and drove around Milan, I had lots of cars behind me, it was a wonderful joy, I felt like a king”.

Lautaro: “I thought that the other teams would get closer to us near the end, but it didn’t turn out like that. Winning is an incredible emotion”.