Rafael Leão confirms himself as a deeply divisive player among the AC Milan fanbase, which in recent years has split between those who support him unreservedly and those who criticise him harshly. After the whistles during his last outing at San Siro, the one against Udinese, this time the number 10 earned a mixed reaction. This is highlighted by La Gazzetta dello Sport.
A good performance, but…
The match against Juventus provides a clear example of this dual perception. In the 36th minute of the second half, when Allegri decided to substitute him for Nkunku, a significant portion of San Siro reacted negatively, although the noise was more subdued compared to other recent occasions.
Shortly afterwards, however, the other side of the Rossoneri support emerged: the Portuguese player, forced to leave the pitch from the opposite side, received several rounds of applause from various sections of the stadium, almost in response to the initial whistles. The player maintained a neutral attitude, not reacting either to the criticism or the support. Once he reached the bench, he was greeted by the coach with a high-five. There is clearly a good relationship between the two.
His match was on the borderline of… average. Leão continues to show difficulties linked to less-than-ideal physical condition, due to pubalgia that has been affecting him for weeks. Despite this, his performance was judged respectable and committed by the Milan staff and observers.
He suffered a heavy foul, attempted ambitious plays, and created important chances, including a potential assist wasted by Bartesaghi and a decisive move for Saelemaekers, which, however, ended on the crossbar. With four matches still to play, Leão is aiming to finish the season by reaching double figures in goals. For him, that would be the minimum.
