Two weeks of stoppage before the league resumes already feel long. In Rafa Leao’s case, they risk becoming endless. The Portuguese forward, who rejoins his national team after missing out last September due to a muscle injury in August, has just come off a match against Juventus marked by two glaring misses that added to Milan’s regrets over the two points dropped.
Leao’s display will also be remembered for the scolding from coach Massimiliano Allegri. Added to recent words from former teammate Alessandro Florenzi and new teammate Adrien Rabiot, the picture is clear. Discussion about Leao’s inconsistent behavior is no longer idle bar talk or fan chatter. When those who work with him daily step in, seeing the man before the player, and all agree that at 26 it is time to decide how to grow up, the issue takes on a different weight.
After six Serie A seasons, in a competition that has lost appeal and technical level, Leao’s scoring output in the past two years is back to where it was in his first two. He netted 8 and 9 goals in 2023/24 and 2024/25, similar to the 6 and 6 of 2019/20 and 2020/21. His lack of focus and application remains under scrutiny. The real question is not whether it is fair to criticize him for two halves of football after 45 days out, or whether media hostility exists.
Rabiot, who has known him only a few weeks, already says there is no time left and that the risk is to be remembered as an eternal regret with untapped potential. The problem lies in Leao himself and in his approach. Football is a game, but for him it is also a job and must be treated as such. Playing lightheartedly is fine, but only if alongside flair there is substance. At 18 or 20, flaws like poor finishing or weak shooting technique can be corrected. At 26, they cannot. Adding defensive work and pressing does not mean losing his identity, it means enriching his game.
The team can no longer revolve around Leao’s individualism. Under Fonseca and Conceição, and now Allegri, the demand is for him to become a real team player. That growth is still unseen.
What's next for Rafael Leao and Milan?
There is a serious crossroads. If this season ends again with words and promises but few results, letting him go next summer would not be far-fetched. With Christian Pulisic already proving to be the true driving force, Santiago Gimenez improving (albeit slowly, but gradually), and Christian Nkunku offering a more complete package when fit, Milan have shown they can manage without Leao. On paper he remains their strongest player, but in practice, he is not, writes Calcio Mercato.
Time passes, and Rafa stays the same. A club aiming to return to the top regularly cannot afford such dilemmas anymore.
