Lukaku Cautious with Celebrations as VAR Denies Goals at Euro 2024
Belgium forward Romelu Lukaku finds himself hesitant to celebrate goals at Euro 2024 after three of his strikes were overturned by VAR, according to his teammate Jérémy Doku.
Lukaku faced disappointment in Belgium's 1-0 defeat to Slovakia, where goals were disallowed for offside and a handball by Loïs Openda. Another offside decision nullified his goal in Belgium's 2-0 victory over Romania.
Despite not yet registering a valid goal in the tournament, Doku emphasized Lukaku's positive demeanor. "He would have liked to score those goals because now, when he scores, I think he's scared to celebrate," Doku remarked.
"He didn't have much luck, but he's happy," Doku continued. "He's happy because we won our last game. Of course, as a striker, he always wants to score, and of course you think about your individual stats, it's normal. But he's happy with the impact he's having on our team and the chances he's creating."
Ahead of Belgium's final Group E match against Ukraine, where all four teams are tied with three points each, Doku acknowledged the pressure but stressed the team's focus on victory.
"The pressure is there, but we just want to win the game," Doku stated. "Even if we already had six points, we'd want to win. Now there's a little more tension, but that's what we thrive on."
Belgium's clash with Ukraine on Wednesday will decide their fate in a tightly contested group.
