AC Milan star Rafael Leao is struggling this season under new Rossoneri coach Paulo Fonseca. The Portuguese winger only scored one goal in all competitions so far in the 2024-25 season, despite playing nine games between Serie A and Champions League soccer. While he does have four assists provided to his teammates, it looks like Fonseca still has yet to find how to make him perform at his best.
Compared to the past season under manager Stefano Pioli, AC Milan are playing in a different way. Before, the Italian giants were playing with a 4-2-3-1, with Leao and USMNT Christian Pulisic on the wings, while this season Fonseca opted for a 4-3-3 and then for a 4-4-2, with Leao and Pulisic still playing on the opposite wings. More than the numbers, the Rossoneri fanbase are demanding much more from the most talented player in the AC Milan roster, who is struggling to be consistent week after week.
With the Portuguese national team, Leao had an outstanding International break where he showed his skill especially against Poland, as the side coached by Roberto Martinez won 3-1 and he provided one assist to Cristiano Ronaldo's goal. With Portugal, Leao looked more comfortable and the 4-2-3-1 probably gives to him more freedom and more space to attack. That's a key aspect that has to be underlined: Leao needs space in front of him to show his best, when he has space to attack he becomes dangerous for the opponents. At AC Milan, this doesn't happen as often as before. Fonseca's possession ball (56.3%) and his idea to bring more players on the attacking third reduces the times Leao is facing one defender for an individual duel, the moment he's more dangerous.
Looking at the numbers purely, Leao is slightly underperforming, but not too much. During the opening seven Serie A games, he had a 2.03 xG (one goal scored), but also 1.52 xA (3 assists delivered). Of the 23 shots, only 10 were on target (43.5%) and had 295 passes overall, only two more than goalkeeper Mike Maignan. Numbers can explain his start of the season, but what numbers don't show is the quality of football he played so far. It's important for Fonseca and the team that he starts to deliver more also in terms of his attitude on the pitch.
Leao, alongside Theo Hernandez and Pulisic, is one of the players that has to drive this team beyond this initial crisis. AC Milan won the Derby della Madonnina against Inter, but then also lost two games including the last one against Fiorentina, drew two and also lost two out of two Champions League matches against Liverpool at home and Bayer Leverkusen away. During an away game against Lazio, which ended in a 2-2 draw, both Leao and Theo Hernandez were seen away from the team talk while the Rossoneri manager Fonseca was speaking during the second half's cooling break. A moment that worried not only many AC Milan fan but also neutral onlookers. In that game, the former Lille coach decided to bench both players after a disappointing start of the season, seeking for a reaction of the team.
😬 Theo Hernandez and Leão stayed away from the rest of the team during the cooling break. pic.twitter.com/m2ZrzLAnJ2
— Milan Matters (@MilanMatters) August 31, 2024
Despite scoring the opening goal of the match, the Rossoneri struggled in the second half as Lazio made a quick comeback and scored twice in the opening minutes. Fonseca was forced to make changes and decided to call both stars from the bench. Two minutes after Leao stepped on the pitch, he scored. Few seconds after scoring the equalizer, the game was stopped for the cooling break and this is when both players didn't participate in the team talk.
Despite the context of what happened (Fonseca and Theo Hernandez were clear on saying it wasn't against the manager), this is what has to change in his behavior. Leao has to become the star who drives the other players with his performances and attitude. The talent is there, he just need to make that mental step needed to complete the process of becoming one of the best players around.
