Max Allegri has always been a big fan of Rafael Leao, AC Milan’s No.10, and now the experienced manager will have the opportunity to make the most of the winger’s qualities.
Since arriving at Milan in the summer of 2019, it’s been clear that Leao has tremendous potential. 260 games, 70 goals, 62 assists and one Scudetto later, you can definitely say that the winger has been successful. Some, however, would argue that it could have been even better.
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Indeed, despite 12 goals and 13 assists this past season, everyone would agree that he suffered from a lack of consistency. In many games, he could have done a lot better and this, subsequently, means he could have upped his goal contributions as well.
For Allegri, therefore, the big task of making the most of Leao’s potential awaits. As highlighted by MilanNews, the manager has always been a big fan of the winger, speaking very highly of him in recent times.
To Corriere della Sera in 2022, he said: “Milan have two exceptional and very modern players, Theo Hernandez and Leao. There is no one else in the world who beats a man with the power and ease of Leao”.
A year later, in October 2023, after Juventus prevailed 1-0 against Milan, Allegri said the following: “It’s true that we were a man up (red card for Milan), but Leao is capable of cancelling this superiority. Even with ten men, Leao can create chances on his own and the team did well,” he stated.
In short, Allegri has always recognised Leao’s qualities and now he has gone from a big admirer to the coach responsible for his development. Hopefully, he will succeed with his mission of making the No.10 the focal point of Milan.
He would have better stats if he 1) had a better coach 2) got appropriate playing time (not getting benched or subbed on/out early/late) 3) took pk’s? 4) had better players / offensive cohesion around him…the thought he is supposed drop back and defend all the time is said by those who don’t understand the game, in order to better position his offensive threats he shouldn’t drop back..1) it drains explosive energy for attacking situations, 2) increases distance required for attack 3) puts him out of position for dangerous attacking movements…you don’t see salah, mbappe, c. ronalado, neymar or any other top attacking wingers dropping back in defense every time…the goal is to get the other team to drop back and guard him because he is such a threat. Pioli understood this
Room temp IQ
No, he’s got a point. Im not sure if you have the iq you think you have. Their are players that don’t drop back due to their high input in attack, dropping back will cost them more, also sometimes genetics or what region in the world you grew up can also impact your stamina and endurance.
OK, but Leao doesn’t drop back regardless of what people that don’t understand the game think or what he is asked by his coaches, so where is the offensive output C Ronaldo, Neymar, Mbappe, Salah provide?
He doesn’t shoot penalties because he is one of the worst strikers of the ball. Pioli, who understood this, said this publicly that Leao can’t even make penalties in training.
Leao has better players around him. He used to have Saelemaekers/Messias on the right, now he has Pulisic. He used to have Tonali, Bennacer, Krunic, in midfield who couldn’t do much offensively, now he has Reijnders, who scored more goals than him.
Better coaches? So every coach that Leao has has is bad, for both Milan and the Portugal NT?
If he starts for Portugal, he is always the first to be subbed. I wonder why.
Got appropriate playing time?
Are you talking about Leao or Chukwueze?
He is getting benched, or subbed out for a reason.
You wrote nothing but excuses, blaming everyone and making Leao look like a victim.
lol he doesn’t have liverpool, real madrid, barcelona to work with but 8th place milan. I’m not saying he should take pks just his stats suffer vs others (pulisic for example) because of the lack of pks. He had an MVP season under pioli, this last season is what is under scrutiny. Fonseca & Conceicao are both sub par producing 8th place finish. He was benched at the start or taken out earlier for several “easy games” which pad stats. I’m not blaming everyone. no making him into a victim. I am simply stating the harsh criticism of his lack of output or defensive work rate is misplaced. Put him on liverpool starting 11 in the EPL and see what kinda stats he produces
The question shouldn’t be about Leao tracking back or not. I would and I think every serious minded could would relieve him of defensive duties, he should concentrate and save his energy for purely attacking duties.
But the real question is, is Leao truly ready?
The skill is never in doubt, it is the mindset that counts, and that’s what is separating him from the Mbappes, I dare say in terms of ability, Leao can go toe to toe with anyone, Vini Jr, you name it.
Sometimes dude can be very frustrating especially when we’re chasing the game, he just loses the ball like a school kid. He needs that big mentality to carry the team on his back when the chips are down.
I think the first thing for Alegri to do is on his mentality, otherwise it becomes very difficult and risky to build the team around a player with a weak mentality, on his off day he can easily demoralise the whole team.
Sell now
PSG sell mbape and got there champions League cup today
Wake up milan