Milan winger Rafael Leao says the team want to win the Europa League this season: ‘Milan have never won it’. The Portuguese winger spoke at length with Sky Sport Italia, discussing the season to date, a muddling campaign, Pioli’s influence and the objectives for the 2023-24:
“Against Verona I was captain it’s true, it was incredible. I came from a week of being a bit so-so…the choice of the armband made me emotional, it was a decision of the team and the coach, but I feel like a leader even without the armband or number 10, I am always me and I will always be like this, smiles and character. I’m happy to be an example, I see Simic who is very strong and I always help him.
“Who do I learn from? My idol has always been Cristiano Ronaldo, I take inspiration from him”.
“The championship is long but to win it you can’t leave too many points on the road, especially in games played well. To win the championship you have to win almost every game and draw the ones you can’t win. But the team this year is better than last year. The last victories have raised the morale of the group, we want to try to win something important this year.
“Europa League? Yes we want to win it. Ibra won it, he will give us the experience to win it. Milan have never won it. With all my teammates we know we have the responsibility to be remembered for that too.”
“I’m working hard and I’ve done well in recent years, we’ve also won and we want to do it again. I am still young to be able to grow, there are players who have reached an unbelievable level with time and experience: I say for example Vinícius Júnior, Bellingham and Mbappè, they are absolute world class and I like to watch them play all the time. My top 11 would be a 4-3-3 with Maignan in goal, Cancelo on the right, Theo on the left, Thiago Silva in the centre with… Van Dijk? No… Ruben Dias. In midfield Bellingham, De Bruyne, Modric. And up front Leao on the left, Vinicius on the right and Mbappé in the centre.”
“Pioli? At the beginning the relationship was a bit strange. I’m someone to whom you have to say the right and direct things without going around in circles too much. If you talk to me for 30 minutes I don’t listen. His approach was aggressive, I am calm and so you have to know how to relate to me. However, he understood me and changed. He would often call me to ask about my family, if I needed anything, the way I played. From there our relationship changed as if it were a relationship between father and son. When I go on the pitch, I also have the responsibility to play to repay his trust. He deserves the best, he has helped me grow as a man and given me responsibility. He always tells me the right thing, he doesn’t say things in vain. He doesn’t talk to me much but he tells me the right things.
“Simic’s goal against Monza? Yes, an incredible feeling, as if I had scored my first goal with Milan. Simic is a good lad, who listens to advice. But others like Camarda and the lads who train with us also have to work and make the most of their opportunities. It’s not easy but the opportunity can happen tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, you don’t have to wait years.
“The fans? I am very attached to them, when I arrived no one talked about me, while today I am an idol here. This is thanks to the fans, who put pressure on me, but good pressure. Like: ‘Come on, move, you can do it'”.
