AC Milan celebrated a Coppa Italia triumph over Roma last night and the new signings impressed instantly, but Sergio Conceicao’s words about Rafael Leao also deserve some focus.
As La Gazzetta dello Sport writes, one passage in Conceiçao’s post-match interview stands out in particular, regarding Leao: “He can do much, much more. He has incredible qualities. He must think that he is important when he has the ball at his feet, but when he doesn’t have the ball he is also important.
“He must make himself available in all moments of the game for the team. I know that getting out of his comfort zone is not easy, but for me his work is essential. Leao can be a player of another level if he understands certain things that we are working on every day at Milanello.”
It is known that Sergio is a coach who demands a lot from his players and he too, like all those who preceded him, is trying to find – if there is one – the best formula to squeeze the best out of his compatriot.
These words stand out precisely because they were uttered – evidently not by chance – at the end of a match that would have easily allowed for smiles, praise and positive thoughts about everything and everyone. If Conceiçao said certain things it is because, quite obviously, he did not like Leao’s cameo.
In practice, it is not that Leao had a disaster. Perhaps it was legitimate to expect a little more since he entered in the last 20 minutes, but it is also true that the fact he started on the bench was because of his less than ideal physical condition.
Conceiçao, however, turns the spotlight on the winger again in a complex season where Rafa – as always – has alternated exceptional matches with others that were sloppy. Leao first had to deal with Fonseca, who went so far as to publicly pillory him just to prod him. A recipe that had given results.
Sergio is less drastic when he speaks to the world outside Milanello, but the internal management is anything but soft. So, faced with the sumptuous performance of Joao Felix, and the exuberance of Alex Jimenez, could Leao suffer in terms of no longer being immovable?
The coach focuses his attention especially on one concept: Leao must get out of his comfort zone. This is why coaches have tried different things as stimuli such as allowing him freedom to roam or using him as a second striker, to get him closer to goal.
Rafa should take inspiration from his countryman who took centre stage last night against Roma, closing the match. Joao Felix came on and lit up the game with his smart touches, movement, link-up play, runs and his goal. The standard has been set, now over to Leao.
