There seems to be some uncertainty surrounding Rafael Leao and whether he will report for international duty with Portugal.
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As Tuttosport (via MilanNews) report this morning, at the end of yesterday’s win over Torino, Massimiliano Allegri spoke in a press conference about Leao, who was absent from the match against Torino due to the recurrence of an adductor problem.
The coach was asked by a reporter about whether the forward will still head off to play for his country, to which he said: “I think he will be dropped; I think they dropped him. He needs to rest. He deserves thanks for what he’s done so far.” There have been no official announcements since these comments.
Updates will surely arrive today, and Igli Tare will be the one to take the lead. According to the paper, the Milan sporting director will contact the Portuguese national team staff and ask them to leave the player at Milanello to allow him to recover properly.
Tare will hope to take advantage of the fact that Portugal’s fixtures are only two friendlies, given that all the qualifiers have been completed. Leao could therefore continue his recovery and stay with Allegri at Milanello, another aspect not to be underestimated.
La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) recall how Leao shielded himself from the cold in the stands at San Siro last night. The injured Portuguese sits next to the Rossoneri management moments before the match against Torino began.
What emerged yesterday, after the tests he underwent in the morning, is that he is not injured. However, it remains a delicate issue that requires careful management, which is why he could miss the Mexico and United States games with Portugal.
Straight after the break, Milan face the tough trip to take on Napoli at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. It is a fixture and a ground where Leao has done well in the past, even if his participation is not yet a guarantee.