Stefano Pioli is the one who brought out the best in him, especially in the attacking phase, because even the current Al Nassr coach couldn’t convince Rafa Leão to make a tangible contribution to the team when out of possession.
Things have gone even worse for Paulo Fonseca and (so far) Sergio Conceição, who in this 2024-25 season have gotten less out of Milan’s No. 10 than expected—especially considering he is the highest-paid and most talented player in the squad.
Perhaps next year, Massimiliano Allegri could help Leão take the definitive step forward and establish himself among the world's top players. Allegri has improved many players throughout his career, helping them reach their full potential. The coach from Livorno admires him, and if given the opportunity to train him, he intends to fully exploit his mix of speed and technique—even at the cost of "helping" him defensively, as he did in Turin when he asked Matuidi, Mandzukic, or Bernardeschi to cover for Cristiano Ronaldo.
Under Pioli, Leão was practically always a starter.
As for this season, with his two compatriots on the bench, he has started as a substitute ten times and, on one occasion (against Udinese), didn’t come on at all. His overall tally stands at 10 goals and 9 assists—decent numbers—but what’s truly striking is another statistic: when coming off the bench, he has performed at his best. Don’t believe it? Here are the numbers to back it up, as relayed via Gazzetta dello Sport.
As a substitute, Leão has played 315 minutes, scoring 3 goals and providing 3 assists, the latest of which came last Saturday in Lecce. That means he has contributed to a goal every 52 minutes. As a starter, however, across 30 appearances, he has played 2,383 minutes, scoring 7 goals and delivering 6 assists—one decisive action every 183 minutes. In other words, this season, when coming on as a substitute and taking advantage of tired opponents, he is devastating. Otherwise, he tends to take too many breaks—both in attack and defense.
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Recharging Leao...
How would Allegri manage him?
Max loves talented players, and during Juventus’ golden years—when they won five consecutive league titles—he designed a 4-2-3-1 system in 2016-17 to maximize the qualities of all his stars, with Pjanić as the playmaker and Cuadrado (or Dani Alves), Dybala, and Mandzukic behind Higuaín. It’s easy to imagine he would do everything possible to make the most of Leão’s abilities. In a 2022 interview with Corriere della Sera, Allegri described him as "an exceptional and very modern player."
Allegri would take Leão off the market, despite his €175 million release clause, he could leave for a lower figure, especially if Milan decided to overhaul the squad and part ways with the old guard. With Max in charge, the chances of Rafa staying at Milan would increase significantly.
