Pulisic and Leao nominated for Serie A ‘MVP Awards’ but categories cause a stir | OneFootball

AC Milan duo Christian Pulisic and Rafael Leao have each been nominated for awards in Serie A’s end of season showcase, but their nominations have caused a stir.

Leao has been put forward after a campaign in which he has racked up eight goals and 10 assists in 33 league games, while his overall record improves to 14 goals and 14 assists in 46 matches when factoring in all competitions.

There is no doubting that he remains one of the best players in Serie A and among the most entertaining wingers in the world, but by contrast last season he scored 15 goals in the league.

Meanwhile, Pulisic – who arrived last summer from Chelsea – has had an excellent debut campaign with the red and black. He has 12 goals and eight assists in Serie A, with 15 goals and 10 assists overall in 49 games.

The purchase of Pulisic for €20m from the Blurs proved to be an excellent investment for Milan, who had long since needed an upgrade on the right wing. Junior Messias and Alexis Saelemaekers were in that role before and although they tried their best, the same level of quality was not there.

What has caused a stir regarding the nominations though is the categories. Leao has been put forward for best striker despite being a winger, and Pulisic is down for best midfielder despite being on the opposite flank to Leao.

There is always a bit of artistic license with these team of the year type awards, but it is fair to say there is a bit of confusion about the categorisation.