CorSport: Milan and Leao left with bitter feeling after Feyenoord loss – a comeback is needed | OneFootball

AC Milan were beaten 1-0 by Feyenoord away from home in the first leg of their Champions League play-off tie, complicating the path to the last 16.

As Corriere dello Sport (via MilanNews) report this morning, Sergio Conceiçao said that he had prepared the team for the match at De Kuip ‘as if it were a final’, but apparently the Portuguese was unable to instil his desire and determination in the players.

It was those who were most anticipated that let the team down, such as the ‘Fantastic Four’ who were spoken about so much in the build-up to the game. Among these of course is Rafael Leao, who between one ankle problem and another certainly did not offer the performance worthy of his level.

Indeed, the No.10 for the Rossoneri didn’t seem very switched on, as also confirmed by the rather banal error when one-on-one with the opposing goalkeeper during the first half. He could have done anything with that chance: a chip, a dribble, or even passed it to Gimenez completely undisturbed.

Instead of doing anything conclusive, he stumbled rather clumsily on the ball and was thwarted by a well-timed challenge, then colliding with the goalkeeper. In many ways it was symbolic of Milan’s evening, never managing to show the necessary ruthlessness.

Leao and his team-mates will still believe that they can qualify given there are 90 minutes still to play, but they have the obligation to do so. They need to show the same aggression that the Feyenoord side did, as the Portuguese admitted, this time taking advantage of an expectant San Siro crowd.