After making his return against Napoli, many thought Rafael Leao would start against Juventus, but barring any major surprises, that will not be the case. The Portuguese forward, as Massimiliano Allegri also admitted yesterday in his press conference, is improving and worked hard at Milanello throughout the week, but it still seems too early to see him from the first minute.
Milan's winning cards:
The coach explained that last Sunday against Napoli the plan was to bring him on a little later, but Estupiñán’s red card forced him to change his plans. Tonight against Juventus, Leao will start on the bench, joined by Christopher Nkunku. As Tuttosport reported this morning, both the Portuguese and the Frenchman are Allegri’s trump cards, with the coach repeating in every press conference that in modern football substitutions are often more decisive than starters. With their pace and quality, both players have the ability to break open a match even when coming off the bench.
Is it not the right time for Leao to start yet?
"I’ve learned that making a decision only because it feels like the right time to change is not good. The time to change is when I see it," Allegri said yesterday when asked about Leao’s return. The Milan coach has a clear stance on the issue. The team is performing well, so he has no intention of changing the setup right now.
For now, Rafa sits behind Santiago Gimenez in the pecking order, and that looks set to continue until he is fully fit again. Still, surprises are always possible, and an “allegrata” might be around the corner.
