AC Milan have decided not to fine Theo Hernandez and Rafael Leao for their controversial behavior during the cooling break in the match against Lazio. The club considers the incident closed but expects a significant turnaround from the two players after the international break.
La Gazzetta dello Sport report how the episode, which saw Hernandez and Leao distancing themselves from their teammates and coach Paulo Fonseca during a cooling break, initially appeared as a form of “mutiny” due to their anger at being left out of the starting lineup. However, the club has chosen to move past the incident without imposing financial penalties.
Milan’s management stand behind Fonseca in his handling of the situation and more broadly in this challenging start to the season, which has fallen short of both the club’s and fans’ expectations in terms of results and performance.
When Hernandez and Leao return from their national team duties, the club expects them to have cleared their minds of any lingering tensions and be ready to give their all for the team and the coach. It’s likely that before the upcoming match against Venezia, and on the eve of crucial fixtures against Liverpool in the Champions League and the Milan derby, there will be a renewed call for unity within the dressing room, possibly led by Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
The incident at the Olimpico was seen as another misstep by the two players, who had already faced criticism for poor performances and attitudes in the previous match against Parma. However, their immediate impact upon entering the field, contributing to the equalizing goal, has somewhat mitigated the situation in the eyes of the coach and the club.
Looking forward, Milan will not tolerate any further errors, especially in behavior and attitude. The rest of the squad reportedly hasn’t been significantly affected by the incident, with some players even questioning the amount of attention it has received.
