MN: Milan pause Leao renewal talks amid concerns over attitude and performances – the situation

Just like last season when AC Milan played Lazio away, Rafael Leao has found himself in the headlines for the wrong reasons.

As MilanNews writes, Leao’s reaction to being taken off was ‘the straw that broke the camel’s back. His confrontation with Allegri and what he did on the bench afterwards (throwing his jacket on the ground, kicking water bottles and the cooler, and constantly shaking his head) are not a good sign.

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Indeed, they are symbols encapsulate a complicated period in the management of a player who – at 26 years of age and in his seventh season at Milan – is no longer a young talent with bright hopes, but a fully-fledged man and supposedly a leader.

What happened in the capital

In the same stadium where he was the protagonist of the cooling break saga alongside Theo Hernandez, Leao began the match with anything but convincing composure last night. He struggled to find his position on the pitch, wasn’t served well and was being isolated.

The result? No shots on target and no noteworthy play in the first half. In the second half, however, he dictated passes to his team-mates at least twice, but was ignored. This also led to his rather dramatic reaction to Christian Pulisic failing to find his run in behind.

Then, when he saw the fourth official’s board with his shirt number raised, he did nothing to hide his disappointment. He was slow in walking off (Milan were 1-0 down), so much so that Mike Maignan had to run 50 metres across the pitch to encourage Leao to speed up the process.

Then, when he was about to leave the pitch, he had an argument with Allegri. The coach tried to hug him and calm the situation, but to no avail. Rafa’s attitude didn’t go down well with sporting director Igli Tare either, who was caught on camera questioning his tantrum.

Questions of attitude

For more than a few weeks now, Leao’s behaviour has ‘not been appreciated by everyone’ even at Milanello, from his team-mates to the coaching staff and also the management. Several incidents (including off the pitch) have generated a feeling that he is taking the wrong path.

At 27 years old and with a recognised leadership role, more was expected from Leao in terms of his attitude, especially with regards to his ‘physical care outside of Milanello’. His pubalgia hasn’t completely disappeared yet, but without the right precautions, it won’t go away.

Leao risks dragging it along all the way to the World Cup, where he has ambitions of being a key player for Portugal. A lot depends on how he gets back on track with Milan, where his future must also be discussed.

Given this series of factors, MilanNews report that that all talks regarding Leao’s contract renewal have been put on hold for several weeks now by the club. Before returning to the negotiating table, they want to see significant signs of change from the forward. In essence, a new deal must be earned.

Mitigating circumstances

When Allegri decided to launch the 3-5-2, the player accepted the new system, knowing full well that it wouldn’t enhance his qualities. In fact, Leao has found himself forced to be the striker despite not actually being one naturally, because of the formation and the injury absences throughout 2025-26.

Leao has a ‘physical and mental need to stay active in the game’ which he doesn’t as a centre-forward, a role that leads him to remain very subdued. If he doesn’t get rewarded when he makes the right moves, then everything explodes, as seen last night.

What happens now? Allegri faces two options: to bench the Portuguese to try to make him understand, or continue to trust him because the others aren’t offering him greater guarantees. One thing is certain: he won’t change the formation, so something else has to give.