After a fine season in the 2022-23 season, the 2023-24 season has not followed the same trend for Rafael Leao, and given his importance to AC Milan, it is hoped he can quickly find the back of the net soon.
Whilst he has scored in the Champions League and also the Coppa Italia, he is without a Serie A goal in 124 days, with his last time finding the net in the league being in the game against Hellas Verona in September.
As Sky Italy reports, this wouldn’t be as big of a problem if other aspects of his game had improved substantially, but, unfortunately, this hasn’t been the case and his output as a whole has suffered.
Last season, he finished as the Rossoneri’s top goalscorer, scoring 15 league goals, and assisting eight times. He has assisted five times so far this season, but only scored three, which demands a sharp upturn in form if he is to better his record this season.
Leao is suffering in certain metrics such as goals per 90 minutes, in which he has dropped from 0.52 last season to 0.19 this season, as well as shots per 90 (from 3.16 to 2) and xG per 90 (0.11 to 0.07).
Moreover, the former Lille an has a lower percentage of shots leading to goals (16% compared to 9%) and percentage of shots that are on target (32% to 22%).
However, he is averaging more assists per game compared to 2022-23 (0.32 to 0.24), more key passes (2.34 to 1.51) and passes into the penalty area (0.95 to 0.62). In addition to that, he has more passes completed in the last 20m (1.52 to 0.75).
.@RafaeLeao7 is averaging more assists, key passes, passes into the penalty area and passes completed in the final 20m compared to last season.
However, he has less goals per 90, shots per 90, xG per 90, % of shots leading to goals and % shots on target.
[via @SkySport] pic.twitter.com/9zeEimhJU5
— MilanData📊 (@acmilandata) January 25, 2024
He’s important to soak up defensive pressure. We really need a proper CAM to take advantage of this. Milan should have made an attempt for Gündoğan when his contract expired.
Sell it…..
Amen…I cannot stand watching this clown anymore acting like he doesn’t care about playing football on the pitch. He’s fast but predictable for the defenders. Sell him and buy a real WINGER
I wish we will sell this guy next summer and replace him with a more productive and consistent player. He is lazy, indolent, self-sufficient, doesn’t have that “hunger” that big players have, have a mind of a child , he doesn’t act like a man, at his age he is more focus at his look, rap style , I see him more and more like Balotelli 2.0…
Amen…I cannot stand watching this clown anymore acting like he doesn’t care about playing football on the pitch. He’s fast but predictable for the defenders. Sell him and buy a real WINGER