Pioli tells Milan how to manage Leao and Theo Hernandez: ‘Look at Ronaldo’ | OneFootball

Former Milan coach Stefano Pioli has admitted ‘there wasn’t a single day’ that he didn’t have to ‘push’ Theo Hernandez in training, has explained that he used to use Cristiano Ronaldo as an example for Rafael Leao, and has given his opinion as to how to get the best out of the two Rossoneri stars.

Pioli, currently head coach of Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr, spoke in-depth about his former club in an interview to La Gazzetta dello Sport, published on Sunday.

Pioli explains how to get the best out of Theo Hernandez

Both Theo Hernandez and Leao have come under criticism at various points of the 2024-25 season.

AC Milan’s Theo Hernandez (R) in action against Juventus’ Federico Gatti (L) during the Supercoppa Italiana semi-final match between Juventus FC and AC Milan, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 03 January 2025. EPA-EFE/STR

While Pioli admits that it was often difficult to keep Theo motivated, he believes there isn’t another footballer on the planet who is capable of doing what he does best.

Pioli also believes that the Frenchman needs positive and negative reinforcement in equal measure.

“Theo is a good guy,” Pioli told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“Everyone has their own strategies to get the best out of the players. There wasn’t a single day at Milan where I didn’t have to push him. But tell me a single left-back in the world who can change a game the way he can.

“They’ve criticised me for only using the carrot. That’s not true, I just didn’t show the stick in public.

Milan need patience with Leao

Pioli believes that Leao does not respond well to the type of criticism he has been subjected to over the course of this season.

epa11787603 Milan’s Rafael Leao during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Hellas Verona and AC Milan, in Verona, Italy, 20 December 2024. EPA-EFE/EMANUELE PENNACCHIO

Still, the former Milan coach believes that Leao still has the potential to become one of the world’s best players.

“When you criticise him so much, you lose sight of reality. That is that he’s a boy who is constantly growing. Even this year.

“I remain convinced that Rafa can still become incredibly strong. I don’t know if he will win the Ballon d’Or, but he can be even stronger than he is now .He’s getting there.

“When he used to go to the national team I would tell him ‘look carefully at everything that CR7 does, then tell me about it’. He would come back, tell me about him, and I would say ‘Did you see it? Now you do it, too!’.”