The Rafael Leao situation at AC Milan remains unresolved. After being benched for the entire match against Udinese in the last league game, the Portuguese forward was back in the starting lineup for Tuesday’s Champions League clash against Club Brugge. However, his night was cut short after just an hour when manager Paulo Fonseca decided to replace him with Noah Okafor.
Calciomercato report how Leao’s substitution came shortly after he received a yellow card for time-wasting. The introduction of Okafor, along with Samuel Chukwueze replacing Ruben Loftus-Cheek, immediately led to Milan’s second goal scored by Reijnders. This change further highlighted Leao’s current poor form.
Although Leao had shown flashes of his typical brilliance in the first half with a couple of trademark runs down the left flank, Fonseca was not satisfied with the team’s overall performance. With the score tied at 1-1 despite having a man advantage, the coach decided to shake things up, and Leao was the one to make way.
The 24-year-old’s disappointment was evident as he left the pitch. He sat silently on the bench, not engaging with his teammates. After the match, Leao headed straight to the dressing room, skipping the customary salute to the Curva. Later, he posted a cryptic message on Instagram: “God knows how my heart is pure.”
Leao’s struggles this season are reflected in his statistics. He has scored only once in Serie A, in a 2-2 draw against Lazio on August 30. In the Champions League, his record remains disappointing, with just one goal in his last 20 appearances in the competition – scored last season against Paris Saint-Germain in Milan’s 2-1 victory at San Siro.
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