Ex-Milan and Roma coach Montella labels Leao ‘an extraordinary talent’ | OneFootball

Former AS Roma and AC Milan coach Vincenzo Montella has called Rafael Leao an ‘extraordinary talent’ but had plenty of praise for Paulo Dybala too.

Montella was interviewed by La Gazzetta dello Sport (via Radio Rossonera) as someone well-placed to talk about both clubs, having coached Milan in recent years and having been a key player for Roma and an interim coach in the past.

He was quick to heap praise on Leao, explaining how he is so hard to stop when he has space in front of him but Roma did manage it in the first leg at San Siro, which ended 1-0 to the Giallorossi.

“He remains an extraordinary talent. When he has space in front of him, limiting him is almost impossible. Roma managed it, we’ll see if Rafa can find a way to make up for it,” Montella said.

Despite the praise for Leao, Montella admitted that he prefers Roma’s Paulo Dybala as a player at the moment.

“They are different. And I admit that for Dybala I have a weakness, I see myself in him a little. Even if Paulo plays further away from the goal,” he said.

The second leg of the Europa League quarter-final takes place at the Stadio Olimpico on Thursday night with Stefano Pioli knowing that the outcome could have a huge bearing on his future as the Milan coach.

The game will be swiftly followed by a Serie A clash with Inter in which the Nerazzurri can clinch the title with a win as the ‘away’ team, which would be a very painful situation for anyone connected to Milan.