AC Milan star forward Rafael Leao has responded to criticism from former player Paolo Di Canio in a provocative manner, reigniting tensions between the two. The incident stems from Di Canio’s recent comments on Sky Calcio Club, where he harshly criticized Leao and teammate Theo Hernandez for their behaviour during a cooling break in the Lazio-Milan match.
Di Canio had expressed strong disapproval of the players’ decision to remain apart from the rest of the team during the break, calling it “a disgrace” and questioning their commitment to the team. He emphasized that such behaviour would be unacceptable even in amateur settings, let alone at a club of Milan’s stature.
In response, Leao took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to post a controversial image of Di Canio. The photo shows the former Lazio captain performing a Roman salute, a gesture associated with fascism, during a Rome derby in January 2005. Leao’s post was accompanied by a series of ellipsis, leaving the interpretation open but clearly intended as a pointed rebuttal to Di Canio’s criticism.
— Rafael Leão (@RafaeLeao7) September 2, 2024
The image refers to a controversial moment in Di Canio’s career when he made the salute after Lazio’s 3-1 victory over Roma. At the time, Di Canio claimed his actions were not politically motivated, but he and Lazio were subsequently fined €10,000 by the disciplinary commission.
Leao’s response has added fuel to the fire in what was already a heated discussion about player conduct and team dynamics. The Portuguese forward’s decision to bring up Di Canio’s past controversial actions has shifted the focus of the debate, potentially overshadowing the original criticism of his on-field behaviour.
