The former Inter Milan defender urged understanding, suggesting the Belgian’s mental state may be affected after a difficult spell with injuries.
The issue escalated during the March international break when Lukaku withdrew from the national team but failed to return to Italy, choosing instead to stay in Antwerp for rehabilitation at a specialised clinic.
This decision has strained relations with Napoli, prompting talks of possible disciplinary action from the club hierarchy.
"A strange piece of news, truly strange. Now, I don't know - we also need to understand the various reasons, given that he explained a bit," highlighting the bizarre nature of the conflict,” he told Rdio Kiss Kiss.
“He is certainly an important player, he has always felt important, and perhaps after an injury that kept him out for so long, he has suffered a bit on a mental level as well.”