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.
