After renewing his contract and taking the No.10 shirt, the expectations were naturally high heading into the season but Rafael Leao has struggled with consistency. The AC Milan legend Billy Costacurta has now weighed in on the matter.
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Leao has managed four goals and three assists so far this season, which is by no means terrible. However, the Portuguese winger has struggled to impose himself at times, and we saw this against Salernitana even though he bagged an assist.
Speaking live on Sky Italia, as cited by MilanNews, the Rossoneri legend Billy Costacurta shared his thoughts on the matter. He questioned the 24-year-old’s role as a leader within the squad, failing to live up to the (albeit high) expectations.
“There are players who can manage in difficult times, and there are those that can’t. I think this is the issue. Milan have lost a lot of confidence and trust, what Pioli calls the magic.
“We talked about Leao earlier. Every now and then, a player has to force himself to come up with something, ensuring that the team perceives a certain attitude from the leaders. Is he a leader in this team? I don’t know, but if he wants to become one he must do more,” he stated.
Milan will take on Sassuolo this Saturday and it’s an important game in many ways. After nine games without a goal in the league, Leao will be looking to break his drought and lead the Rossoneri to a much-needed victory.
