Rafael Leao of AC Milan

CM: Leao-Fonseca relationship ‘at an all-time low’ – why Milan are worried

Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images

Rafael Leao started on the bench for the third consecutive league game during last night’s win over Monza, and the situation is worrying the AC Milan leadership.

According to what is being reported by Calciomercato.com, the relationship between Leão and Fonseca is ‘at an all-time low’. The Portuguese coach doubled down in his press conference after the victory over Monza, stating that there is no controversy in his eyes.

“There is no Leao case. It is an option: Musah on the bench, Loftus-Cheek on the bench, Leao the same. This must be normal. Status does not go on the pitch,” he said. Translated: Fonseca believes Leao is just a regular player like the others and not the most talented in the squad.

The friction between the pair is so evident and superficial that it requires reflection by all interested parties. Tuesday’s match against Real Madrid could mark a first truce, but in reality Leao has already begun to think about leaving Milan, while the coach does not enjoy unconditional trust either.

The winger has a release clause of €175m which can be exercised in the summer until July, but realistically given his form and present situation the most that Milan could hope for is €50-60m. This is not enough for the directors, who still believe that the former Lille man can become world class.

 

In the last 12 months a couple of Saudi club and Barcelona have shown interest, and in this sense the movements of agent Jorge Mendes will be key. He is very close to both the president of the Barca, Joan Laporta, and Leão’s father Antonio.

The work is aimed at next summer because Barcelona do not have the economic means to conclude the operation in January. However, something is moving and Milan must clarify things because Leão cannot and must not be a burden but rather a resource.

Tags AC Milan Rafael Leao

34 Comments

      1. He was the Serie A MVP on our Scudetto season. He is still our highest valued player in the market. He just needs the right kind of ‘driver’. Sadly our current driver has always been driving LGCC.

          1. Chill out.People with a healthy sense should give a s**t. That’s exactly the proof that he can deliver such performance. Different case if he never delivers on any occasion, that way I couldn’t careless.

            We need someone who can get the better of him. And this ‘who’s the bigger man’ treatment from Fonseca surely doesn’t help anyone. Not even himself.

  1. Leao has 1 goal and 4 assists in 8 games (count last 4 of them in minutes).

    Chuk has 1 goal and 0 assists in 10 games.

    Okafor has 1 goal and 0 assists in 9 games.

    People say it’s because the other two work for the team when out of possession but I don’t see either Chuk or Okafor doing anything better of more than Leao. And we still have one of the worst defensive records so where’s the contribution?

    Leao must’ve done something nasty to him as this looks personal for Fonzy the Riddler. He’s prepared to destroy our second best winger’s morale due to his fragile ego being hurt.

    Funny the management allow this to happen considering Leao sells most shirts next to Puli and is our (contractually) most valuable asset. They invested around 49 millions into him but with Fonseca’s treatment, it would be a miracle to get more than that for him today.

    1. Comparing the numbers of Leao, Okafor and Chukwueze is the definition of having a mid off. It makes no difference who plays they are all trash, but at least Okafor and Chuk are not lazy.
      One of the worst defensive records, yet only 4 teams in serie A have conceded more goals than Milan. Juventus, Napoli, Fiorentina, and Empoli. The whole league is trash defensively.
      Management is allowing Fonseca to be a coach. I thought people didn’t want a yes man. I guess they did. They want someone who Management will tell what lazy player should continue to play no matter how little he contributes.

    2. Oh please. Leao was average way before the Portuguese was hired.. the 6 month goal drought last season? Memeber?
      Ofc not.. nobody wants to talk about how leao didn’t perform under pioli. Or how he didn’t do anything at the euros…
      It’s zorros fault.. has to be…

      1. Maybe he’s a finished product at this point. Maybe not. But Fonseca is certainly not the caliber of coach to bring out the better version of Leao.

        He doesn’t have experience with big players.

      2. Did Inter nail Martinez to a cross when he had goal drought?

        This same community here wanted Mike out of the club last season but now when he’s saving our behinds from embarassements week in week out, he’s again our Magic Mike.

        We’re having a mediocre coach pushing out our superstar. And the management seem to play along.

        1. TED, its not about a goal drought !!! You are missing the point, its about playing both sides of the ball !! OFFENSE & DEFENSE. LAZY LAZY LEAO……

    3. I don’t think this is a stats issue. I think it comes down to “Are you doing what the coach is asking you to or not?”

      Hands down Milan with Leao is way more dangerous than Milan without.

    4. “Leao has 1 goal and 4 assists in 8 games (count last 4 of them in minutes).

      Chuk has 1 goal and 0 assists in 10 games.

      Okafor has 1 goal and 0 assists in 9 games.”

      – Yet Leao has twice as many minutes as both of them.

  2. In the meantime Atalanta beat Napoli 3-0. CDK with two assists playing great and of course Retegui scored again too. How the heck did we let go of CDK for someone like Loftus or even Chuk? Or how did we miss out on Retegui for 16mil and got two strikers who cant even together score close to what Retegui is scoring. Terrible management.

      1. You truly believe this don’t you??🤣😅😂🤣🤣.
        You truly truly believe this. Just like you believed Adli was a Tonali 2.0, and said Tonali is also proving himself now.

        That your thought process is something else. Must be powered by something redbirdy.

        1. You are confused or confusing me with someone else. I never defended Adli. If anything I was always critical of him.

          Maybe go check to make sure you know what you’re talking about?

          1. Never said you defended him. Maybe you should read to again to understand.

            You put down adli, said he Reijnders was better than him. The words you used were Adli is just a Tonali 2.0.

            Now you still peddle this same market about CDK not been able to handle the lights at San siro.

            So yea I am sure about you. Nothing has changed. You still talk alot about what you are not sure off, just off abstracts.

            But then again I should not be surprised.

  3. I must admit this management is so terrible when it comes to assembling a team with players! WHere is the ibrahimovic and Moncada of this world?

      1. The only difference is, one admitted how dangerous and important Leao is and that really kept him for so long yl the other is as dumb as he can get

  4. the main problem this season is the media.seems to always want to create trouble and escalate things.napoli lost today but leao is on every headline.players get benched when there form dips,its normal.but the media is spinning everything out of control cos its milan

    1. Has Leao’s form dip? Is Morata a defender or a striker?, Is scoring about work rate? Is Okafor really better than Leao? Is Chuks making a better contribution than Leao? Clownseca should tell us the real beef with Leao

  5. Milan with Leao starting is MORE dangerous than Milan with Okafor starting. PERIOD.

    Everything else is just silly experiments.

  6. I think Leao has bigger price for Cardinale and Milan… Definitely they don’t want to sell Rafa and not for less then for 80/90m… it is more probably they prefer to sack Fonseca and pay him 2m next 2 years then lost player for 30m less then before..
    Only thing what can help this Milan is finish out of top 4… then Cardinale will see what it mean…. maybe around 50-70m less and last year will be turning point for him and our super trio to not buying every players for less then 15m

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