AC Milan winger Rafael Leao did not want to accept the MVP award that he was given by UEFA for his performance against Newcastle United, a report claims.
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La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) recalls that Leao missed a big chance in the 34th minute of the game when he tried a back heel rather inexplicably, having done the hard part and got into a shooting position inside the box.
The paper adds that ‘the most disheartening moment’ was not Fikayo Tomori’s scolding after the miss or the dark faces of his team-mates and coaches in the dressing room following the two points dropped, but the MVP award awarded to him by UEFA.
It sounded like a joke to him, and the Portuguese didn’t want to accept it, knowing full well he didn’t deserve it, but he was trapped by protocol obligations. He had to be photographed with the statuette which he certainly won’t display in the living room.
It wasn’t easy to even meet his relatives after the game. Rafa’s entire family was present at San Siro and it is perhaps the case that he wanted to score a highlight reel goal just for them, but instead it ended up being a night of great disappointment.
