Paolo Di Canio believes Rafael Leao’s movements are not optimal for a center-forward role and suggests the Portuguese star’s primary focus “has almost become something else.”
Leao has faced criticism from AC Milan supporters, who vocally booed him when he was substituted during a recent 3-0 home defeat to Udinese. This season, Leao has predominantly been deployed as a center-forward, a role he occupied even when coach Massimiliano Allegri switched to a 4-3-3 formation from a 3-5-2 in the last match.
Sky Sport has analyzed Leao’s current struggles, with former Rossoneri striker Di Canio expressing strong reservations about the Portuguese player. Di Canio contends that Leao is playing as a center-forward partly to shield Milan’s defense, suggesting that deploying him on the wings would leave the team even more vulnerable at the back.
Di Canio: Leao’s ‘Physical and Mental Energy is Drained’
“We are discussing a player who should make 50 runs to receive the ball, but he doesn’t even make half that unless he is certain he will get the pass,” Di Canio commented. “He didn’t even make a run to create space for his teammates because he wasn’t sure he would receive the ball. Any striker, in any league, must work extremely hard. It’s challenging even for natural center-forwards; imagine for a player who appears lethargic almost every time he doesn’t have possession.”
Leao, who was named the best Serie A player in the 2021-22 season and was instrumental in Milan’s title triumph, has seen limited development since then. “He has become complacent; he has been pampered, and he has lacked the determination or desire to continue improving,” Di Canio continued. “The priority has almost shifted to something else. Over the years, I can’t recall seeing so many fashion show videos or eight-hour recording sessions with record labels. You often hear that we should look at players’ private lives, but if someone spends four or five hours on other activities, their physical and mental energy gets depleted. It’s not like playing PlayStation for half an hour. If you’re spending six or seven hours with a record label and attending fashion shows, how are you expected to regenerate the mental energy required to perform at this level?”
While some reports, like those from Gazzetta dello Sport, have suggested that Leao and Milan might part ways at the end of the season, Inter legend Beppe Bergomi remains optimistic about the Portuguese player’s ability to regain the fans’ trust. “He can recover easily. I’ve experienced even tougher years; other players have too,” stated the former defender.
