It shouldn't be a coincidence, or at least that's what Paulo Fonseca has repeatedly said, but each week it seems to be becoming more and more of a case. The exclusion against Udinese, then the substitution against Club Brugge, and finally being on the bench against league leaders Napoli; these are all signs of a rather complicated relationship between the AC Milan coach and Rafael Leao, who is experiencing his worst start to a season since joining the Rossoneri club, much like the entire team, which is clearly struggling.
What is up with Rafael Leao and Paulo Fonseca?
Fonseca's guiding principle is clear: "The club comes first, and then the individuals."
This has led to the number 10 no longer being as indispensable as he was in the past. Despite everything, the team has shown that they can win and convince even without Rafael Leao among the starters, with Noah Okafor improving and giving his best on the pitch whenever called upon.
This is exactly what Il Corriere dello Sport discussed this morning. They also published the following headline:
"Milan, you cannot overlook the Leao factor"
