Former AC Milan player and executive Zvonimir Boban has offered a scathing assessment of the team’s recent Champions League performance against Bayer Leverkusen. Speaking as a pundit for Sky Sport, Boban disagreed with manager Paulo Fonseca’s positive interpretation of the 1-0 defeat.
“I don’t agree with the manager’s analysis,” Boban stated. “Bayer Leverkusen dominated the match for an hour, then after the goal, Milan took control. I think it was a strange game, difficult to explain, but I certainly wouldn’t call it phenomenal as Fonseca did. Especially since Milan lost in the end.”
Boban elaborated on his critique, saying, “After the goal, Milan mentally freed themselves a bit, gained courage, and created something offensively. But in the first hour, they were literally dominated, playing almost entirely in defense. So the defeat wasn’t bad luck; Bayer Leverkusen deserved it for the first hour of play.”
This assessment stands in stark contrast to Fonseca’s post-match comments. The Milan manager had said, “We didn’t win, but it’s the game I’ve liked the most since I’ve been here. In the second half, we played very well. We’re disappointed with the result, but we need to be good at understanding the game we played.”
Boban didn’t reserve his criticism solely for the team’s performance against Leverkusen. Prior to the match, he also commented on Rafael Leao’s current form: “Leao doesn’t fit in with the others; he deserves all the criticism. It’s time to have more consistency and courage. In previous years, I’ve always defended him, but this year he needs to wake up. He needs to be present. Sometimes he walks on his toes and seems bored, but that’s not the case. He’s a good guy, but it seems that while everyone else is engaged, he’s disconnected. It’s not in his nature; it needs to be trained. But in terms of potential, he’s an absolute phenomenon.”
