CM: Why the ‘normalisation’ of Leao is counter-productive for Milan | OneFootball

Paulo Fonseca’s handling of Rafael Leao has been interesting to watch to say the least, but the signs from the winger suggest things should change.

As Daniele Longo writes for Calciomercato.com, being a coach means being alone and taking responsibility. This is a phrase that applies to everyone, including Fonseca who has made some bold choices with Milan already, such as the benching of Theo Hernandez and then Leao (repeatedly).

It could be argued that his methods with the Portuguese winger worked, because what we have seen in the past few games is a rebirth. It started with an assist and an exciting performance at the Bernabeu, continued with a brace in Cagliari and then last night carried on with a goal vs. Slovan.

The idea of rotation has little or nothing to do with it considering that – out of the big names in the squad – only the former Lille man was left out. Tijjani Reijnders and Youssouf Fofana, for example, continue to start every game without rest.

Leão is a strange player: sometimes he can seem indolent and he must grow to become more consistent. Yet, his response to being benched has been excellent on the field rather than sulking like he could have.

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He has been constructive in his attitude, so much so that even yesterday evening he navigated the questions from the journalists well: “Another benching? The coach knows I don’t like it but everything is resolved. I’m always ready to help Milan.”

If being benched against Lazio and Monza were meant to serve as motivational messages in the eyes of Fonseca, the one last night in Bratislava were at the very least strange. It is not as if Noah Okafor is in very good form either, and the gap in quality between the two was shown.

This ‘normalisation’ of Leao cannot do any good to Milan because he is a different player from the others, certainly more important and decisive.