Some more information has emerged regarding the post-match discussion that took place between Rafael Leao and Massimiliano Allegri.
According to Sky, Allegri’s ‘therapy’ with Leao has begun and he ‘intends to wake up the Portuguese’. Last Sunday, it was already clear on the pitch – or rather, from what phones in the stands captured on the benches, so close to the fans at the Stadium – how much Allegri wanted to put pressure on Leao.
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The Allegri treatment
As he was getting ready to come on, Allegri shouted to him: “Please, don’t p*ss me off.” The performance didn’t live up to the coach’s expectations, and so at the end of the match ‘a rather heated exchange took place in the dressing room’.
The coach ‘reprimanded’ the player for his attitude when he went on. Allegri wants the Portuguese to focus more on the match, not only in front of goal, but also in terms of the tasks and movements he is asked to perform as a centre-forward.
In general, Allegri is demanding more commitment from Leao , a theme that has been repeated several times in recent years at Milan, even under other coaches like Pioli, Fonseca and Conceicao.
Allegri even tried to motivate Rafa in the press conference preceding Juventus-Milan. When asked if he was the right coach to bring out the best in Leao, Allegri passed the buck to the striker: “Leao has to help himself, help yourself and God will help you, they say … He knows this must be a crucial season for him.”
Allegri doesn’t want to give the player any excuses, but he knows full well that Leao isn’t yet 100% fit. He has had a calf problem that kept him out for 40 days, an injury that risks affecting him on the pitch for fear of a possible relapse.
However, what’s being criticised in Rafa isn’t his condition (which will gradually improve), but his way of playing the game, knowing full well that sometimes the way he is on the field frustrates fans. Allegri will try to correct that, and what happened on Sunday was not an argument or a rift.
“TIME TO ACCEPT RAFAEL LEAO WILL NEVER BE ANYONE ELSE
FOR MILAN
By Susy Campanale OCT 8, 2025 15:15
Every few months the debate rolls around again, with the same critics pointing out this is the season when Leao will finally move to the next level in his career, start working for the team, tracking back to defend, being more tactically versatile, and focused for the full 90 minutes. As Adrien Rabiot and Alessandro Florenzi quite rightly pointed out this week, he is 26 years old, he cannot still be referred to as a young player finding his path in life. That time has been and gone. Let’s just accept this is who he is and always will be.
Sometimes football fans can be like those women you see in terrible relationships, convinced they can ‘change’ the man in their life. It is far healthier to simply accept someone for who they are, in the good and the bad, or leave him, because trying to force them into a box is just going to create resentment on one side and disappointment on the other.
RAFAEL LEAO CANNOT BE EXPECTED TO TRANSFORM
How many years have we been having this conversation about Rafael Leao? I don’t know what has given people the impression he is in any way capable of becoming a focused, committed football player who will help the defence and unite with the midfield. It would negate all the positives about his game, which are that he has these sudden bursts of life, and always plays with a smile on his face – often literally. Take that away and all you have left is someone with lightning pace and usually poor finishing.
If Milan want Leao to be more consistent in front of goal, then using him as a centre-forward isn’t necessarily the answer. He enjoys running at players, which means needing space to surge into, and he won’t get that when he’s the most advanced figure on the pitch. Giving him extra duties like keeping an eye on the offside line and holding up the ball for teammates is just going to eat into his already limited concentration span.
We also need to acknowledge Leao has never been particularly prolific. Only twice in six seasons has he gone into double figures for Serie A goals and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. The more extra work you give him, whether it’s positioning or helping the defence, the less he’ll be ready to put the ball in the net when he has the opportunity.
So either Milan and Max Allegri accept Leao as he is, or they can do what probably should’ve been done a few years ago and sell him to the Premier League for a ridiculous amount of money. Hopefully their directors will only watch the highlight reels and not the frustrating figure he often cuts when wandering around the field aimlessly. The pace of the game might suit him better there, fewer chances to get distracted and less defending required. The worst scenario for everyone concerned is to continue this annual routine of demanding a change that simply isn’t in his nature.”
The best part of this whole article is when she says hopefully EPL directors will watch only Leao’s highlights instead of full games when they decide if they wanna spend money on him or not.
In my opinion, Turkey or Saudi are more likely than EPL
Susy you are so right concerning Leao !!!!
I’m willing to bet he will have great output this season. Finally we are a team, not waiting on Leao to do the damage.
Sell in Jan 26 to highest bidder
The media around this club are crazy. First the chased out Pioli for loosing two derbies (when Inzagi did exactly the same thing the following season). Now Leao needs to grow up because he missed a sitter after coming back from a month of absence. People need to relax. Leao will be good for us. Let Allegri do what he thinks needs to be done, but this whole firestorm around Leao is ridiculous
Very very unnecessary, some of the journalist are inter fans and some Keyboard warriors too.
Z , you are absolutely correct in everything you have said about Leao !!!!! Spot On !!!!!
The best part of the whole article is its BU_LSh1T at ITS finest. Both Z and Susy hates Leao. So anything bad about leao, this d1psh1t just jumps into it.
Leao will never be anything better. Great. Why?
Of because is six seasons he didnt do anything.
LOL
The fc_k?
Did you see the team he played with?
No striker. No playmaker till tiji. No defense. No midfield.
The man literally carried us directly in 4 of his six seasons. We couldnt win ANY game till Leao did something.
But oh NO.. .Susy said Leao is never gonna change, so that must be it.
Like how dum_B do you gotta be to even buy into this sh1te?
Of all the major factors than actually change a players attitude and mentality .. the main 3 things are a World class coach, champion teammates all around and experience of consistently playing big tournaments.
Allegri is literally the FIRST winner coach this club has provided to Leao to learn from.
Broken team for 6 straight season, in fact, even this season we are playing without a proper striker..
And lets not even talk about UCL.
The bul_lsh1t smear articles are so stup1d and br@ind3ad.. only people with zero braincells buy into this.
LOL. Good old “you say one negative thing/fact about Leao which means YOU’RE A HATER!!!” -reply from a Leao-fanboi. Never surprises anyone. 🙂
Even Allegri is a Leao-hater now. The pile is growing rapidly. 😀 😀 😀 😀
iTS OKAY TO HAVE ZERO BRAINCELLS bb.
There is a difference between hating leao for EVERYTHING He does, like susy saying he din do nuthin for 6 years.. And actually criticizing his weaknesses like his bad attitude on pitch that Allegri rightfully pointed out!
But it requires ONE, just ONE braincell to understand that difference, which has always been too much for you unfortunately bb lol
Where in that article, Susy said that Leao didn’t do anything for 6 years?
She actually did criticize his weaknesses.
Did you even read the article, or did you just come to write nonsense and went with your frustrations?
I guess it takes more than one braincell to read. lol
He/she probably asked ChatGPT to write that attack comment on me because he couldn’t manage it by him/herself. 🙂
Like I’ve said, Leao-fanbois go mental for seeing anyone comment anything negative about their false god.
During theg game, after Leao came on, you could see Allegri shouting “Rafa Rafa” and gesturing for him to fall back defend. Rafa looked at him, and then went to tie his shoe. it appeared disrespectful towards Allegri.