AC Milan's left-winger, Rafael Leao, spoke to the Rossoneri club's official channel before the UEFA Champions League much-awaited match in Germany against Bayer Leverkusen:
"Winning is part of Milan", he said,"The fans always want to win, and so do we. We are calm, the atmosphere is great. Obviously, the derby win gave us a lot of confidence. We want to maintain this level and keep winning. Tomorrow is crucial; we want a victory in the Champions League. The matches are tough, but we are Milan, and we want to win."
On Milan's new way of defending, Leao commented:
"They say that defense starts with the forwards, so in front of me, there are these two (Morata and Abraham) who fight and never stop. I feel so happy seeing that drive, and I can’t do less than what they do. Everyone is pleased with their work; for me, they are fundamental: they are strong in attack and also without the ball, in defense."
Against Lecce, you were the captain. What kind of leader are you?
"I’m a different kind of leader; I don't talk much because that's my personality. But I have experience here, in a club like Milan... I’ve been here for six years, and I can help the younger players. I also won a Scudetto... I know I can give a lot to the team on the pitch. The first captain is Calabria, then when Calabria isn’t there, it’s Theo, then me, and then Mike (Maignan) and Tomori. It’s an extra, and of course, I’m very happy to wear the captain's armband, but we are all important in the team."
On Bayer Leverkusen, Leao said:
"We know they are a tough team, currently one of the best with the beautiful football they play. We’ve prepared well, and even if we don't play our best football because they’re at home with their fans, the most important thing is to win."
