This morning, La Gazzetta dello Sport reported that Stefano Pioli had hoped to give Rafael Leao an extra boost with the captain's armband, somewhat like what happened in September when he decided the home game against Verona with a goal.
Unfortunately, yesterday against Juventus things didn't go his way: his teammates looked for him often, but he couldn't be as decisive as other times. Some numbers from his game clearly indicate his negative performance: 19 balls lost and 6 unsuccessful dribbles.
Regarding his future, after yesterday's match, the Rossoneri CEO Giorgio Furlani intervened, securing Leao's stay:
"Rafa is a Milan player, he has a long contract and wants to stay at Milan. So he stays."
Few words, but very significant ones that convey a clear message: the new Milan that will emerge in the summer with a new coach will also have Rafael Leao included in the squad.