The recent defeat of AC Milan against Napoli has left several talking points, but perhaps none more intriguing than the situation surrounding Rafael Leao. For the second time in ten days, the Portuguese star found himself on the bench due to a tactical decision, despite the last-minute unavailability of key offensive player Christian Pulisic.
In post-match interviews following both the Udinese and Napoli games, manager Paulo Fonseca attempted to downplay Leao’s situation, referring to it as a “non-issue.” Calciomercato report how, paradoxically, this is precisely where the breaking point lies, at least in terms of the past: for the first time in six years at Milan, Rafael is being treated as just another player, not the one to rely on in difficult times. He’s now considered on par with Okafor and Chukwueze, a player who can be benched without causing a stir.
While there have been no reports of heated arguments between Fonseca and Leao, their relationship has reached several breaking points. These include Leao’s perceived indolence during the away match in Parma, his benching against Lazio (where he didn’t participate in the cooling break with his teammates), and a pre-Udinese discussion about Leao’s usage with the Portuguese national team during the October international break.
The club’s position in this complicated situation remains neutral. They are not taking sides between Leao and Fonseca but hope that this new management approach will motivate their number 10 to raise his game and work on improving his weaker technical areas. The sentiment is clear: a half-committed Leao benefits no one.
