Although things have somewhat calmed down, Rafael Leao continues to surf. He has made it the image that opens his social media profile, where his followers have risen to nearly seven million euros, the Portuguese rides the waves on a red-and-black board.
It's his way of celebrating, and the gesture, aside from Instagram, is trending: he did it two days ago on the pitch in Como and could have done it in Riyadh when, with his flashes, he brought light to Milan in the final against Inter, as per La Gazzetta dello Sport in today's print edition.
Leao has brought joy to the team, and Conceicao has done the same with Rafa. Rafa doesn’t miss an opportunity to talk about the spark lit by the coach, the energy, the mentality, the things that weren’t there before and are present today:
"Conceicao brought us what was missing: perhaps before we didn’t put all our energy on the pitch. We’re very happy with what the coach is giving. Sometimes when one doesn’t play well but shows grit until the end, the result still comes. And now we want to take back the Champions League spot. We’re going to Juventus’ home to win."
At full throttle, overtaking the competition, with Leao speeding down the left, will be easier.
Also, because the former Lille player is ready to push even more on the accelerator: "Is this my best moment? I think so. I always try to be at my best, to play a good game, but also to assist and find spaces for others."
A new Rafa version, a leader in service of the group. It was Conceicao who made him a driving force: two days ago, Leao wasn’t just the man of the match, the champion capable of scoring with a lob. He was also an additional defender: he ran back to the box to support his teammates in the most delicate moments of the match. In this story of Portuguese harmony, the merits of another compatriot, Fonseca, should also be recognized.
The beginning of the story was difficult, with Theo and Leao punished with the bench against Lazio and then protagonists in the cooling-break: the physical distance from the coach also reflected personal distance. For Rafa, the most difficult period was still to come: between late October and November, three consecutive benchings in the league. However, the "Fonseca treatment" worked: Rafa emerged reinvigorated, more involved in the team’s play, and more impactful.
The Conceicao method did the rest: Sergio calls him into the game, invites him to track back, urges him on. But he is also the first the coach embraces after a win, the first (with Theo) whose company he seeks in the group circle that closes the matches on the field.
And of Leao, Conceicao said:
"Leao is a phenomenon, I’ve known him for a long time. He just needs to learn two or three ‘little things’ and for me, he can be the best in the world. He has everything, and I don’t say that to be nice. He has so much quality, and if he puts it at the service of the team, he can really become the strongest."
