Milan loses in Rotterdam against Feyenoord, complicating their qualification hopes. And to think that Sergio Conceição had prepared the match at De Kuip as if it were a final, but it seems the Portuguese coach was unable to instill his determination and grit into his players, especially those most expected to shine, who ultimately disappointed the most.
Among them, of course, is Rafael Leao, who, between one ankle issue and another, certainly did not deliver the performance expected from a top player like him.
On the contrary, the Rossoneri No. 10 appeared more sluggish and less sharp than anticipated, as confirmed by his rather simple miss in a one-on-one with the opposing goalkeeper in the first half.
He could have done anything, a chip, a dribble, or even passed to Gimenez, who was completely unmarked, but instead, he opted for a solo move, which ended rather clumsily as he tripped over the ball.
Any discussion of qualification is now postponed to Tuesday at San Siro. But as Il Corriere dello Sport also wrote this morning, Rafael Leao and his teammates believe in it—they are obliged to—but they will need to show the same aggression that Feyenoord displayed yesterday.
This time, however, they must use the support of the San Siro crowd to their advantage, as that same crowd expects a strong response, starting with Saturday's match against Verona.
