Rafael Leao got his 45 minutes against Torino last night, subbed off at half-time, and questions have been asked about his relationship with Sergio Conceicao. According to a report, it’s currently ‘not at its best’.
The Portuguese winger played from start in yesterday’s game but didn’t have much success in the 1v1s, with the only real contribution being the penalty won. Of course, that was more clumsiness from the defender than anything.
In other words, albeit surprising, it wasn’t strange that he was brought off. Today’s edition of Gazzetta dello Sport (see photo below) discussed the early substitution, highlighting how Leao had praised Conceicao for bringing ‘energy and a new mentality’ after the Supercoppa Italiana win.
Since then, however, Conceicao has sent several signals to the No.10 by benching him against Roma, Empoli and Verona. Add the 45 minutes yesterday to that and you can make a few conclusions, especially since Joao Felix has played a lot since he arrived.
As the newspaper concludes, the feeling between the compatriots ‘is not at its best’ and ultimately, Leao must improve. He has been fair to inconsistent in the final third and these are the same issues we saw under Paulo Fonseca as well.
Sell this lazy piece of c**p while we still can. He is the most overrated player in Europe right now. Between rapping, modelling and firing coaches, he has no time to actually concentrate on playing good for Milan.
Leao has been inconsistent but the same can be said for Conceição who in my opinion is making some bizarre mistakes subbing Leao for defenders and midfielders while keeping Joao Felix on the pitch when he’s not playing well.
Both of them need to go in the summer.
Joao Felix was evidently playing better than Leao. Not sure which game did you watch, but it was Torino – Milan 2 – 1.
Leao earned the penalty and we scored only after Joao Felix came off 🤷♂️
Maybe at some point Leao and his fanboys will realize that he is the problem, not everyone else.
How about this 19 year old kid Assane Diao from Como? Left winger that Como bought for 12 million.
He has been in serie A for a little over a month and has already scored 5 goals, same as Leao. And his goals came vs Milan, Udinese, Juventus, Fiorentina and today Napoli, not like Leao’s vs Empoli, Cagliari, Como and Lazio.
How many goals did he create and how many of those 5 came from his creation? No, scoring goals is not the only measurement. How about dribbles per game, assists, key passes? Etc. Leao is top 5 in Serie A in most of them, and top 3 in a lot. Check who else from Milan team. No one. Not even close this season.
It is hard to explain to people that can’t grasp at the basics but Nico Paz is the actually great winger in Como. But how would you know that…
When you are a forward, scoring goals is the most important measurement, but how would you know?
BTW Leao has 5 assists (WOW), not hard to check.
Oh how many useless dribbles per game he has?
That’s an important stat if it actually leads to anything but a horrible cross, a pass to absolutely nobody or a lost ball.
Great that you mentioned Nico Paz . A 20 year old who has the same goal production as a midfielder as Leao.
Leao fanboys are endangered species nowadays. I’m happy there are still some left.
“How about dribbles per game,”
You can do 100 successful dribbles in a match but when you fail to score a goal or find a teammate after the dribble, the dribble ain’t worth sh1t.
But let me ask you about this sstupid statement. Leao is the problem, and what happened in 2nd half against Torino? The problem was gone, what happened? How do you receive a 2nd goal like that? Leao was looking at them wrong from the bench, had the wrong attitude?
Easy to counter with the same logic: Milan scored after Leao was benched. Leao was holding us back from scoring?
Milan scored a goal in the 2nd half didn’t they?
Did they score a goal in the 1st half while Leao was on the pitch?
Nobody missed Leao in the 2nd half. They even played better offensively without him.
And the point that you missed because you are an emotional fanboy is that Leao is the problem when it comes to him and coaches. That’s what this article is about. Try keeping up. First Fonseca, now Conceição. Leao is the only common denominator, that’s why the “stupid statement” was that HE IS THE PROBLEM.
You can get triggered as much as you want at fans, but it is Leao’s coaches that keep benching him, not the fans.
Irrelevant. He needs to bring the result, 4th position minimum. How will he do it, I don’t care. If there is a kid he thinks is better than Maignan and should be on the goal he should do it. Same for every player in the team. But now there are actual players that can replace Leao, and create something. Before it was stupid.
Leao is the strongest Ac Milan player in attack. Fullstop.
There is the end. There is no stronger player in attack at Milan than him.
What makes the difference is strategy how you play and how you use your players. Leao will never be Messi or Ronaldo kind of player. You can’t expect every game his goal.
So evidently, Pioli use the strength of his best players. Leao speed, technique, Hernandez attacking ability, so he covered these holes in defence by using Krunic more defensively, Messias, Saelemakers and even Giroud.
What these Red Bird clowns with new managers wants our best players to play on different kinds of way. Instead of just upgrading the holes What was missing piece in Piolis ideas.
Now you have a bunch of players that doesn’t know what team play is.
Back than with Pioli Bennacer and Kessie and Diaz who were able to play number 10.
Now you have Pulisic and Joao Felix natural number 10s who can’t play shi*.
“Pulisic is the strongest Ac Milan player in attack. Fullstop.”
There. I corrected your type. You’re welcome.
*typo
Oh the irony 🤣🤣🤣
It makes me laugh how you still defend Rafa after all those game. Clearly him and Theo are sabotaging the whole team. Btw I don’t give a sh*t how many dribbles Leao makes. We need a fighter not a dribbler on left wing. We need someone who can cross the ball or try to shoot it from time to time (unlike Leao). And don’t get me started on Theo. Shame!!!
so now he’s fighting with leao. im thinking conceicao is the problem now. what will it take to convince people, that he fights with his man crush felix. fire his arse already.
Gds is recycling stories? This week leao, last week pulisic. Gds literally just makes shit up
Hard to defend Leao and Theo as both of them have been hugely inconsistent post Scudetto season. While other players who make significantly less keep producing more each game and at least fighting.
Reijnders with 12 goals and A RAISE will still make less than Theo now. Puli makes on par with Theo but produces way more.
Improve team morale. Stop rewarding inconsistent players with more game time. Sell them if you have to and bring in less talented players but ones who will fight for the team game in game out.
Every other comment says there is no structure or pattern of play, we all see clearly the issues. Worst if all though for me, the players don’t play for each other , only themselves. The best teams appreciate the collective As for Leao , he’s on another planet!