Rafael Leao recently renewed his contract with AC Milan and he celebrated that matter with a brace in the final game of the season. Speaking to the media, the winger attributed his success to Stefano Pioli.
Leao arrived from Lille in the summer of 2019 and struggled for his first two seasons at the club. Since then, however, he has been one of the best (if not the best) Milan players and the winger himself knows who to thank for that.
In an interview with StarCasino, Leao spoke about his time at Milan and how he has been able to continue his growth. Above all, he thanked the Rossoneri manager Pioli for making him realise what it takes to become a champion.
“The trust of the team was important, they knew there was a talent but some elements were missing, such as continuity, seriousness and concentration. Now I’m a more mature and more consistent player. Before the games, everyone energies me up and tells me that I can make a difference. Milan is a family.
“With the coach, I acquired a new mentality: arrive on time, be concentrated, and practice shots after training. He often asks me how I am and how my family is. This relationship is very important to me, he helped me on and off the pitch. I owe everything to him for making me who I am today.”
“When I arrived it wasn’t easy, I was under a lot of pressure and there were so many people at San Siro. Working hard I started doing well and the fans helped me a lot: I have a great relationship with them and I thank them because it’s as if they were on the pitch with us. They are very important,” he stated.
This past season, Leao bagged 16 goals and also assisted an additional 15 goals, proving that he’s probably the best player in the squad. He’s certainly the most valuable and the feeling is that he has more room for improvement.
“I owe everything to Pioli”.
It must be a mistake .
It should say “I owe everything to Maldini, and I won’t stay a second longer in this club without him. “
Haha so predictable. Do you really expect Leao an employee to say anything about Maldini just one week after his sack that is still making a big fuss on Milan’s social media during a video from an official partner of the club? Maybe you’re not as omniscient as you think my friend. There’s something called PR these days.
He was talking about football performance, not contract renewal. Maldini never coach him.
“This relationship is very important to me, he helped me on and off the pitch. I owe everything to him for making me who I am today.”
How often do contract negotiations happen? Once every couple years.
Point is, for a player it’s more important who his coach is and who his teammates are, than who the director is.
So? That doesn’t refute what I said. It is in line with what I said.
Note that the topic was about his growth as a player so he was talking about how help he receive off the pitch affect his football performance.
Exactly. What with Maldini getting fired for not being very good at his job I don’t know how we’ve still got a team left.
Maldinisti believe that Milan was founded in 2018 when Maldini was hired
🙂 And died in 2023. It was good while it lasted… Forza Paulo.
Haha Maldinisti, very poetic. We are witnessing the beginning of a true bromance here, that’s lovely. You guys should start the anti-“Paulo” Maldini club 😉
Maldinisti are actually hoping, praying the club dies, because they are hurt 😢 that the club fired an incompetent director.
You 2 clowns are perfect for each other. I’m just curious is Poli also against majority because of his nationality like dejan. They are always against…
Yeah Faildini helped him become a better player by not even attending training
Absolutely right. But .. are you sure Leão is a real man and not a puppet?
So leao not man and puppet if not agree with ppl here like you ?
Exactly. What with Maldini getting fired for not being very good at his job I don’t know how we’ve still got a team left.
#sempremaldini
You are all fighting without knowing the question to which Leao replied to.
Crazy people🤣🤣🤣
If there is nothing has done, Leao will never respond on Instagram at the first instance.
Do remind it before you speak about it
Good remarks by Rafa. That’s the spirit.
FORZA MILAN!
It is good if leao feel like family here in AC Milan and still have high respect to coach. Atleast AC Milan will have good LW in couple season . Too bad some ppl here not respecting coach & follow leao path