Rafael Leao has had a positive international break with Portugal, and his comments after last night’s game against Scotland have been perceived as a potential message to AC Milan head coach Paulo Fonseca.
As Calciomercato.com recall, Leao was a positive protagonist in the UEFA Nations League match against Poland as his run and shot off the post led to Cristiano Ronaldo’s opening goal. Then, he played half an hour off the bench last night in Scotland, impressing and creating a chance that Bruno Fernandes should have taken.
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After the game, Leao spoke to A Bola and he was asked how he feels when he is with his national team and working under their head coach Roberto Martinez, who he has not always been a starter under.
“The coach asked me to get in deep and one-on-one and do the best I can. Basically, play my game to create opportunities. They were a very compact team, we had little space and the coach wanted me to make deep movements with and without the ball,” he said.
“How do I feel? At the highest level. When I’m here [in Portugal] I feel everyone’s support. The coach also has a lot of faith in me and this is fundamental for my game.”
In the eyes of Calciomercato.com, Leao chose to place emphasis on the trust and faith of Martinez, and while that is not to say that he doesn’t feel it from Fonseca – his compatriot – it was an interesting comment to make.
Leao’s start to the season with Milan has been up and down. He got a goal against Lazio and four assists distributed against Parma, Venezia and Lecce but they do not exactly tell the whole truth, because he is yet to demonstrate the consistency that many hoped for.
His attitude against Parma cost him his starting spot in Rome with Lazio – which then generated the episode of the cooling break in the company of Theo Hernandez – but it generated in the environment the awareness that something more was needed to fully establish himself as a leader.
Since the derby win against Inter, the Portuguese coach has changed the face of his team, opting for a decidedly attacking 4-4-2 in which Leao and Pulisic are asked to perform significant tasks as wide midfielders.
For the common good, the Rossoneri No.10 has not shied away at all but it feels like a greater defensive application has led to a lack of clarity in the final 20 metres of the pitch, and less of the former Lille man receiving the ball high up the field.
In his tensure, Stefano Pioli had come to the conclusion that Leao could not be restrained and that – even in his proven inconsistency – only by exempting him from pressing and defensive tasks could he truly get the best out of him.
Even the new Portugal coach Martinez seems to have a similar plan in mind, something that Leao did not fail to underline after the match in Scotland. Could this be a not too indirect message to Fonseca for the weeks to come?
Oops another dig to Fonseca. Right after the Pochettino’s comment on Musah.
Leao isn’t a “structured” player. He doesn’t seem capable of following a role or a system. He’s like a free spirit. You just need to give him the ball and tell him to improvise. He will never play like Pulisic.
Kind of what DeRossi was doing with Dybala. In the final third just do you, boo.
Under Fonseca all Leao seems to be doing is passing backwards. Not sure what the plan is. So accept this version of him and build/account for it or offload him and bring in a system player.
Period.
compleaty agree with you they should let leao “free roam” and to do his magic
Fonseca did too many mistakes, too big, in very little time. It will be hard go over this as every bad result will ring the bell.
Leao is clearly trying and being more defensively-minded. He’s tracking back more and even tackling for balls. And guess what? He’s doing worse like this, and passing the ball back. So what the heck is Fonseca doing to him?
That’s what critics don’t understand (ACM1899 is one of the few posters here who does understand): Rafa is who he is (strengths AND weaknesses) and performs best when he’s allowed to do what he does best: roam free, be creative, engage in bursts of speed to beat his man and score or assist. If he’s asked to track back and defend, that doesn’t play to his strengths.
Although Rafa is often scapegoated and heavily criticized, he is still our second most prolific player with 1 goal and 4 assists this season, only behind Puli (who is a more complete player). He consistently produces about 30 goal participations per season which is comparable to Puli’s, Giroud’s, and Lautaro’s recent stats. We wouldn’t have won the Scudetto without him.
It is interesting to realize that Puli himself has declared that part of the reason for his own success is that Rafa attracts markers thus leaving more space for Puli.
I have little hope that Rafa will stay. He is trying hard but he is sensitive to criticism (not the most mature young man) and gets frustrated. Yes, his statement about the Portuguese national coach is intentional. Rafa was highly praised there during this international break (including getting MOTM from A Bola and being called pure magic). He likes that, and eventually he’ll ask to leave because that’s not what he gets at Milan. Yes, he’s well paid; yes, we helped him with his Sporting debt, but he seems to thrive in praise and to resent the criticism. I think he craves praise more than money.
Then, once he leaves, his numerous critics maybe will finally understand that we’ll be worse off without him.
Yes, he has shortcomings, but if he hadn’t, he wouldn’t be playing for us. He’d be with City or Real or PSG. We should count our blessings and accept him for who and what he is, warts and all.
exactly milan fans and fonseca needs to just accept the player he isi would rather have leao not helping in the defense but helps alot in the attack then him being a boring player to pass back and defend and thos milan fans that want him gone are clueless he has second most g+a (goals and assist) this season for us. yes he’s finishing is a bit of a problem but he still helps out in many other situation