Ruben Amorim’s system has been mentioned as a potential saviour for Rafael Leao’s tenure at AC Milan, but is that really the case?
In recent weeks, basically since Amorim was appointed, some outlets have suggested that Leao might change his mind regarding leaving the club. Looking purely at the formation, which is a 3-4-3, one can understand why that is the case.
Read SempreMilan ad-free and get access to exclusive news. Click here for a free trial!
However, it’s easy to get blinded by the numbers and not dig into how the system actually works. Luckily, our tactics writer Rohit Rajeev has taken a closer look at why Leao actually isn’t a good fit for Amorim’s football.
Different positions and profiles
Sporting Lisbon operated in a fluid 3-2-5 under Amorim in possession, with the front five arranged as shown in the graphic.
Pedro Gonçalves and Trincão played as narrow inside forwards, occupying the half-spaces and combining centrally.
Meanwhile, the wing-backs pushed high to provide width, effectively becoming auxiliary wingers. This positional structure was fundamental to Amorim’s attacking principles.
However, the heatmaps tell a different story.
Trincão, playing as an inside forward, operates far more centrally, consistently occupying the half-spaces and combining between the lines.
Leao, on the other hand, prefers to stay wide and hug the touchline, receiving the ball in isolation before driving at defenders.
Their average positions highlight two very different profiles.
A major tactical issue
So the obvious question is: why can’t Milan simply switch to a 3-4-3 and play Leao as the left winger?
On paper, it looks like the setup shown below should work perfectly. Football isn’t just about formations, though. It’s also about roles, positioning and the relationships between players.
If Leao stays wide, Milan would need a wing-back capable of inverting into the half-space, effectively functioning as an inside forward while remaining comfortable in tight central areas.
It’s a role that Milan have already struggled to execute, most recently during Paulo Fonseca’s tenure as the head coach of the club. That’s why simply switching to a 3-4-3 doesn’t automatically solve the problem.
The biggest issue comes without the ball. If Milan commit numbers forward and maintain a high line, they will naturally become vulnerable to counter-attacks. Especially in the space between the left-sided midfielder and the left winger.
That means the left winger must consistently track back, cover large distances, or apply immediate counter-pressure to stop transitions before they develop.
Off the ball has never been Leao’s strongest attribute, which makes this role a difficult tactical fit in Amorim’s system.
Basically, goodbye Leao…
Just get him the fck out of the club. His attitude is poisonous
Peak Milan management; hire a coach who exclusively uses a system your most valuable player doesn’t fit. For the second year in a row.
And now any interested parties know we’re desperate to sell, all power is with them.
Nobody is looking to sign Leao since he announced he is leaving, Pulisic didn’t announce leaving but we have clubs dishing out contracts to him, tells you all you need to know. Even the reject in Chukweze has a firm suitor already. The most valuable player stuff is all a delusion.
What the solution?
To hire a coach who plays a system that fits your most valuable player just so that player shows up one game a month?
You can’t build a team around extremely tactically limited player who you can’t count on to show up in majority of the games.
Oh and its actually 3rd season in a row they are hiring a coach that doesn’t fit your most valuable player since Fonseca and Conceição also didn’t have a system for a lazy player who doesn’t run, doesn’t defend doesn’t press doesn’t track back doesn’t move from the left touch line and can’t score 10 goals a season.
💯
Can’t agree more, I will just add this, if Leao is so valuable why he never performed with Portugal team? They need to change formation and coach to fit this player? I would honestly take Musa or Trincao and be done if someone is actually buying him
Solution is sell this rapper cause he is lazy and least valuable player I would say. What would you do we all hold hands and wait for him to have a game where he is in a mood to play
Totally agree. The system needs to benefit the entire team, not individuals.
Yah like … saying M3ssi would work on Amorins system… lol wtf
What is peak management? Building a team around a player that’s more interested in making music than playing consistently?
Most Valuable Player? Even when we won the league that was Franck Kessie and not Leao. Leao has become our Jesse Lingard, Mr. Potential, like Charles LeClerc. All potential no end product, we’ve seen guys like Yamal come up in the world and develop, guys like Doue, Barcola come up and develop WAY beyond Leao’s talent, and here he is, still Potential Man.
I’ve always said Milan should have sold Leao instead of Theo. Leao is such a limited player and he’s not able to adapt to a false 9 role like we see in Raphinha, Dembele and Mbappe.
We already had Pulisic aka Leao’s replacement a few years now and we should have a capitalized on selling him when his value was higher.
I don’t understand why some Milan fans think Leao is so irreplaceable and so valuable to the team when in fact he is the main player who is preventing this team from evolving into a better pressing and attacking team. Sigh !
Painful thing is that Milan refused to sign a replacement because that didn’t want competition for Leao, now we are in a mess
Nothing to add 👌
Theo is also very limited player.
Very good on a counter attack when there is a ton of space for him to run faster than everyone else. Useless in tight spaces because he is extremely one footed and stiff and most importantly a defender who can’t defend a parked car.
France staring line up just came out for the Paraguay game and Theo again isn’t in there.
Both of them should have been sold long time ago but its not like there was much interest in them back then too.
It’s obvious u r just a hater and don’t know jack about football. The best era of Milan on d past 5 years has been Leao and Theo..they stopped performing following d rubbish d management was doing and bringing coaches who wanted a defending striker .. and filled d team with rubbish players… U all keep shouting pulisic , d same way u were shouting TJ reinjders until Guardiola discovered he was a fraud ..
Leao is one of d best players in his wing, u can keep celebrating bullshit
They are all haters, disillusioned, we saw Leao at yhe world cup, let them name a LW winger that played better than Leao
There were other things behind the scenes in regards to Theo as we saw
This analysis is done way too complicated. The simple argument made is that Leao would not work in no 10 role behind Ramos nor in a winger role because he wants to stay wide and doesn’t track back effectively enough.
I would agree… dont need this entire article to make that point.
I believe that ACM do not have the quality at wingback to play this way. Their best wide players are Leão and Pulisic, not the outside backs. Being rigid and not moving the positioning of the forwards and wingbacks resulted in Amorin being figured out at ManUtd. At this level a manager needs to be able to vary the attack, positioning of players, and attacking runs.
I thin Amorim is reading all these expert advice here and already taking note to improve. He is trying g to figure out how he can get lucky and manage AC Milan.
Keep going he is reading all this 😂
Leao wont fit into ANY system that requires effort… Basically, he’s another Balotelli.
You people you don’t know even what you’re talking Rafael leao is very good player if you play him in his natural position of playing left wing,but allegri played him out of possession what did you expect him to do?,you just hate this boy for nothing you did same to theo hanandez now you see the consequences we struggle to get good left back like him.
Player will not fit to a system if those system wasn’t their attribute, if there is a new system some player will need more time to adapt. Manager need to know his players, if i remember it correct Pioli had talk to each player so he can see more from them and know what good to do. There is already a system happen. So imo Leao can fit or not depends on Amorim, we don’t know if Leao or Ramos can fit to this new system and new tactic, we just hope the best for AC Milan.
Hope the best for those Player too, for try their best to this club, so stop hate and blame a player thats not a solution. Forza Milan.
P.s. just dead already Cardinale
Get Kessie who is a free agent. Sell Leao and chukwueze. Get Nusa in. He is a Good Winger. Get Araujo from Lisbon. We need UCL comeback next season
As we can see in the world cup games,all successful teams work like a unit in attack and defense. Leao is unable to play like this, it’s too demanding for him
He is a real talent but always the TEAM will
prevail. He can not understand this,so he has to leave
Even Portugal playes better without Ronaldo on the pitch
Is the author of this speculation unaware that Amorim’s last job was at Man Utd. Not S. Lisbon. Nonetheless, Amorim’s last job was a disaster. Not sure what formation he will choose, but his player selection and tactics were awful.