Rafael Leão’s season, which was meant to be the one where he finally made the definitive leap in quality (helped by the arrival of a top coach like Max Allegri on the bench) has instead turned into perhaps the most difficult campaign he has had at Milan.
It is certainly the season in which he has suffered the most physical problems, particularly pubalgia, which has been troubling him for months and is still affecting his performances on the pitch today. On top of that, there are also his usual behaviours, which do not always go down well with the fans.
One of the few who has made an impact
In recent weeks, Leão has also struggled to be decisive, and as a result criticism has mounted, along with whistles from Milan supporters, who currently see him as too lazy, unmotivated, weighed down by a somewhat sluggish attitude that mirrors his style of movement, and not particularly inclined towards sacrifice or teamwork.
That may be the perception, but looking at his season statistics tells a different story: the Portuguese forward has so far been one of the few Milan players to truly make a difference. With nine goals and three assists, the number 10 has directly earned Milan 15 points in the league. Only Napoli have a better figure in this respect, with 17 points generated thanks to Højlund’s 13 goal contributions.
On the market?
According to Corriere dello Sport, which also details all of Leão’s contributions in this Serie A season, his impact includes: three points against Fiorentina in the first leg (with a brace), a goal against Pisa, an assist against Roma, a penalty scored in Parma, decisive goals against Lazio and Cagliari, the equaliser against Genoa, an assist for Rabiot in Como, a recent goal in Cremona, and his latest assist in Verona, again for the French teammate wearing number 12.
Despite these numbers, Leão has faced more criticism than ever this season, and patience at Milan’s headquarters also appears to be running out. It is no secret that his future at the club is far from certain; in fact, the feeling is that Rafa could be one of the key names involved in the club’s outgoing transfers during the summer transfer window.
