On the day of his presentation, Massimiliano Allegri said that the star of this Milan, Rafael Leao, could have a great season. So far though, the Portuguese has fallen short of expectations, offering two performances far below standard against Napoli and Juventus. First came the “He has no heart” criticism last Sunday against the Italian champions, then the outburst in the Allianz Stadium dressing room. The bond between Leao and Allegri tightened quickly, and what if it breaks?
Leao must give more to win Milan back
After a month and a half out, nobody expected Leao to be at 100%, not even 80% to be fair, in two games as important, difficult, and delicate as those against Napoli and Juventus. At the same time, much more was expected, also because the Portuguese has already shown he is capable of deciding matches.
Now he has to start doing it under Max Allegri, who wants, or rather demands, what Leao has never had in his years at Milan: consistency. This is the turning point where his career will go one way or another, strong but unfinished or a true champion, as reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport today.
That is also because for the first time in years Leao faces competition at Milan, from the irreplaceable Pulisic to the dangerous Gimenez-Nkunku pairing. If his performances and attitude stay at this level, there is a real risk that the No.10 will be left out again and again, as in the last two matches. In the end, the matter is always the same, it will depend only on him.
