Former AC Milan star and current Sky Sports pundit Zvonimir Boban has offered his candid thoughts on Milan’s recent defeat against Feyenoord in the Champions League. Boban particularly focused on the tactical error made by coach Sergio Conceicao in playing all four of Milan’s offensive stars, which he believes came at the expense of Rafael Leao’s effectiveness.
Boban didn’t mince words when discussing Leao’s performance and role in the team: “Leao is inherently inconsistent. If you ask him to do too many tactical things, he gets confused. We all know his strengths and weaknesses: today he had to play as a fifth midfielder, and that’s not his role.”
The Croatian pundit emphasized the risk of trying to balance attack and defense with such offensive-minded players: “Even if you manage to achieve balance with them, it’s not true that you don’t lose something. Because even if you gain something defensively, you’re sure to lose something elsewhere.”
Boban was particularly critical of the decision to burden Leao with defensive duties: “If you ask Leao to defend, you lose him, and it’s not right to do so. He chases, and by chasing, he gets tired. Then he has to sprint eighty meters. He’s already inconsistent by nature, and if you ask this of him too, well, goodbye. It’s a bit like what I used to do with the coach,” he added with a laugh, referring to his own playing days under Fabio Capello.
When asked about the solution, Boban’s answer was straightforward: “Add another midfielder, but it’s so obvious… Tonight it might have worked, but I wouldn’t continue like this. First, you need to let people play together, help them understand how to be on the field. Of course, everyone will play, but then you can think about playing in this way.”
