AC Milan head coach Paulo Fonseca has revealed that he tried two different things to try and get a response from Rafael Leao, with the second having worked.
Fonseca’s handling of Leao is something that has been the subject of media attention throughout the season, especially after he was benched for three consecutive Serie A games recently.
The most striking occasion was when – for a game against the league-leaders Napoli – the Portuguese coach chose to put his compatriot on the bench, despite the fact he is widely regarded as the best player in the squad and is the highest paid.
Fonseca spoke from the press conference room at Milanello yesterday on the eve of the Empoli game at San Siro (read in full here), and he was asked about Leao being more useful on the field than on the bench.
“Now yes. Coaches have different strategies. I used two. One didn’t have results, the other one seems to have,” he said.
“I’m very satisfied with Rafa’s reaction to being on the bench. But he wants consistency. The team needs this version of Rafa.”
What was the other one that didn’t work?
“I can’t say (laughs).”
It is likely that the two methods that he is referring to are when he made him captain earlier in the season and then the decision to leave him out of the starting line-up.
