Andriy Shevchenko has spoken about the level that Rafael Leao can reach and how he sees his former club AC Milan at the moment.
Interviewed by the official Lega Serie A channel, the Rossoneri legend Shevchenko discussed a number of topics including Leao’s rise, giving advice to the Portuguese winger and explaining why – in his eyes – the fans love him so much.
“He dreams of becoming a champion, of leaving an important mark in the history of football, of winning some trophies. Therefore I don’t make the comparison, because I think that all players have something inside, and that’s exactly what people like,” he said.
“He has a different personality, he has that something with which he manages to win people’s love. The passion that he transmits, the technical gestures, the plays that people like to come to the stadium to see.”
He continued by discussing the current crisis in Ukraine and how much it means for him to have support from the people of Italy.
“For us Ukrainians it is very important to feel solidarity and closeness from the Italian people, especially from sports people,” he said.
“Serie A and all the Serie A presidents were very important in this initiative to bring the Ukrainian flag to all stadiums, sending an important message: the Italian people and sport are close to the Ukrainian people.”
As always when he talks about Milan, Shevchenko’s words are words of love and of a fantastic relationship created between him and the city, the fans and those at the club.
“Milan is and will always remain a big part of my life, a team that I support a lot, a relationship that was built with the fans and that will remain forever, also with the club and with the people of Milan.”
A question about Milan-Lazio is inevitable, the first big home match for the Rossoneri in the 2023-24 Serie A season. Shevchenko warned Milan about the capabilities of the Biancocelesti, between Ciro Immobile’s instinct for goal and a coach like Maurizio Sarri.
“Immobile is a great champion, a player for the national team who has scored many goals. He is an important player for Italy, important for Lazio and for the history of Serie A. Maurizio Sarri has his own philosophy that we know very well.
“Even if Lazio didn’t start the season very well, I believe they will recover, because Sarri’s teams are always well organised, they play good football. Lazio has an important squad, in the Italian championship Lazio is always a good team.”
