Leao: “We didn’t play good football, but we played the way the coach wanted” | OneFootball

Rafael Leao has revealed his belief that AC Milan did not play ‘good football’ against Bologna but were simply following the orders of Sergio Conceicao.

Milan’s already slim hopes of making the top four were dealt perhaps a decisive blow as they lost 2-1 against Bologna on Thursday night. As is perhaps to be expected, the fall-out has begun and the Curva Sud made their thoughts known after the full-time whistle.

The Rossoneri cannot be accused of playing free-flowing attacking football as they were dominated in virtually every metric. It was clear from the first minute that Conceicao wanted the team to go direct and target space in behind, with Milan even resembling a long-ball team at times.

Of course, it all came unstuck in the second half. Leao spoke to DAZN after the game and seemed to hold back at risk of causing a ‘mess’, while he also answered questions at a post-match press conference. MilanNews transcribed his words.

How do you analyse that game and this negative run?

“Very difficult situation, obviously, but there are still many games to play. Now let’s try to play a good game at home against Lazio to show everyone what we can do. Today was a strange game, we didn’t play good football, but we played the way the coach wanted, that is with the long ball; the goal came like that.

“Fantastic attitude in the first half, we were good on the pitch, tactically everyone was fine. Then we scored a strange goal and I don’t want to talk about it. But beyond that, the attitude of the first half, if we had also put it into the second half, it would have been a different game. It’s our fault.”

More Stories / The Match

Leao: “We didn’t play good football, but we played the way the coach wanted”

28 February 2025, 12:25

Few players spared after implosion: Player ratings for Bologna-Milan from Italian papers

28 February 2025, 11:40

CorSport: Milan crumble in Bologna as ‘toxic atmosphere’ engulfs squad

28 February 2025, 11:20

Is this the worst moment since you’ve been at Milan?

“It’s a period like this, but we know that now we have to show something more. It’s a question of staying in the Champions League or not, and we all want to play in it. I’m sure that this match at San Siro can be a starting point.”

After the equalising goal the team went haywire, and not for the first time…

“When Conceicao arrived, we won after going behind. Even against Parma. But in the last few games we’ve been struggling when we concede goals. Maybe, given how the goal came today, it created something for us…

“We have to see what we did well and what we didn’t. We have to look forward, me, the older ones, the coach, everyone. The season doesn’t end here.”

Photo by AC Milan

What did you say to each other in the dressing room?

“What is said in the dressing room doesn’t come out. What I can say is that we are disappointed, we are not happy, today was a final. We have to get back up.”

If you’re talking about finals, why do you then enter the field with this attitude?

“You think we didn’t want to win?! Football is like this. We have to do what the coach asks. We did what he asked, then it’s the details. Maybe if we put something more into each action we wouldn’t have conceded goals.

“We have to learn from our mistakes. Even when we win. We have to raise our heads and keep working.”