“Fighting devils in his head” – Gullit gives honest assessment of what Leao is at

Ruud Gullit has claimed that Rafael Leao has the potential to be among the very best, but also revealed a worry he has about him.

Just as Gullit did decades ago, Leao has donned the iconic No.10 shirt for Milan. His performances have been far more divisive than that of the Dutchman though, as he has often alternated match-winning displays with others where he looks completely disconnected from the game.

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During the Milan-Juventus game on Sunday, Gullit was honoured on the field pre-match at San Siro for his induction into the AC Milan Hall of Fame. The Dutchman was then interviewed by Andersinho Marques for Sport TV (as well as by Milan TV), and his comments are via MilanNews.

“Leao is a great player, sometimes it feels like he’s fighting devils in his head. He’s a good player, but sometimes it feels like he’s not there. I think he’s important, I like him a lot. He needs to find a way to deliver, at least, 6 or 7-point performances,” he said.

“And then there are exceptional 9-point games. But 9-point games and then 4-point games, no. I don’t want that. He has the strength and skill to always play, at least, 6 or 7-point games. He’s a great player, I like watching him, but sometimes it feels like his head is somewhere else.

“He needs to be more proud of doing what he can do. But when he doesn’t perform well, he also needs to know how to play simply and grow little by little during the game.”

Gullit was a defining figure of Milan’s ‘Immortal’ era under legendary manager Arrigo Sacchi, winning 12 trophies in the red and black shirt and scoring 56 goals, playing in a number of positions from striker to central midfield.