Di Canio hits out at ‘arrogant and weak’ Romelu Lukaku

The former

striker has long been a subject of

presenter

Di Canio

's outrage and criticism, having declared from the time he came at Inter just over two years ago that he vanished in key games and had very little technical skill.

“This interview shows the weakness of an athlete who after six months gives up, perhaps because he arrived there with the arrogance of someone who doesn’t realize what his real level is,”

Di Canio

said on his Sky Sport Italia

show

.

“He won the Scudetto in Italy as a co-protagonist with his other teammates, but he’s no Lionel Messi. Inter would’ve won even without him, if they had Duvan Zapata or someone like that upfront. He is a functional player who did his duty in that team.

“He then went to the Champions of Europe, in the Premier League against sides like Manchester City and Liverpool, where he is just one of many big names. If you arrive at Chelsea and think you’re going to be number one, you are in for a rude awakening!

“Chelsea played much better without Lukaku. He is a fragile player, so he seems to have character, but when he talks like that, the truth is he is very fragile.”

was withdrawn from

's squad for today's crucial game against

after the interview in which he harshly criticized coach

Thomas Tuchel

's methods.

It has also sparked speculation of a reunion with

Antonio Conte

at

, only months after his €115 million move from Inter.

“Lukaku scored an incredible own goal here, it was a disastrous interview that made absolutely everybody unhappy, including himself. As I always said, he’s a big soppy cat more than a panther, he has never been hungry or determined in the big situations,”

continued Di Canio

.

“I think Chelsea are tearing their hair out with regret over this transfer, especially as they didn’t even really need this player.”

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