Former Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku is maintaining his remarkable record in European competition after scoring yet again for Jose Mourinho’s Roma on Thursday night.
Say what you want about the Belgian battering ram – one of the more divisive, opinion-splitting centre-forwards in the modern era – not even his most committed doubters could argue against a Europa League record bordering on the unbelievable.
Romelu Lukaku, finding the net during the 2-0 midweek win over Slavia Prague at the Stadio Olimpico, has now found the net in 14 consecutive Europa League games, scoring 18 goals in that time.
No player in European football is enjoying a longer unbroken streak in UEFA competition, with Cristiano Ronaldo – another with Manchester United on his CV – stopping at 11 back in 2018.
Romelu Lukaku thriving at Roma
Lukaku’s staggering record, meanwhile, spans nine years and three different clubs. Beginning with a hat-trick in a 4-1 away win for Everton at BSC Young Boys during the Roberto Martinez era back in 2015.
The one-time Chelsea and West Brom forward is yet to get his mitts on the Europa League trophy. But he was named the tournament’s Player of the Season back in 2019/20, firing Inter Milan to the final and scoring in the eventual 2-1 defeat to specialists Sevilla.
After a difficult second stint at Stamford Bridge, Lukaku has been a man revived under his former Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho in the Italian capital. That goal against Slavia Prague was his eighth in ten Roma games already.
“I found him happy. Romelu needs to be happy, to feel loved and wanted,” Mourinho told DAZN a few weeks ago.
“He arrived here and immediately felt that the team needed a player like him. I think he’s really happy, he obviously likes to win and that’s his nature.”
Lukaku and Jose Mourinho reunited
With Lukaku’s staggering Europa League form, coupled with Mourinho’s penchant for hoovering up silverware, do not be surprised to see a Roma side who lost out to (guess who?) Sevilla in last season’s final going one step further in 2024.
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