As reported by Tuttosport in today's print edition, Milan is grappling with the Rafael Leao paradox.
Since Sergio Conceição took over on the bench, the Portuguese forward has started from the bench on four occasions, whether due to suboptimal fitness or a technical decision, and in three of those instances, he made a decisive impact after coming on in the second half.
Conversely, in matches where he started, he has made a difference only twice (scoring against Como and Girona) but was among the worst performers in the remaining six games. A coincidence? Perhaps, but...
Is it a paradox, or maybe not?
Either way, it’s worth trying to understand why Leao seems to perform better when coming off the bench. As past seasons have shown, the Portuguese forward struggles to maintain consistency from one match to another—and even within the same 90 minutes. Perhaps, by having to concentrate his physical and, above all, mental energy, playing less actually helps him unconsciously, allowing him to give his best in 30 or 45 minutes.
