AC Milan star Rafael Leao has struggled this season under new Rossoneri coach Paulo Fonseca. The Portuguese winger has scored just one goal in all competitions so far in the 2024/25 season, despite making nine appearances between Serie A and the Champions League. Although he has provided four assists for his teammates, it seems Fonseca is yet to discover how to get him to perform at his best.
Compared to last season under manager Stefano Pioli, AC Milan plays in a different way. Previously, the Italian giants played with a 4-2-3-1, with Leao and USMNT Christian Pulisic on the flanks, while this season Fonseca opted for a 4-3-3 and then a 4-4-2, with Leao and Pulisic still plays on the opposite wings. More than just the numbers, Rossoneri fans are demanding much more from the most talented player in AC Milan’s squad, who are struggling to be consistent week after week.
With the Portuguese national team, Leao had an excellent international breakthrough, where he showed his skills, especially against Poland, when the Roberto Martinez-led side won 3-1 and he provided one assist for Cristiano Ronaldo’s goal. With Portugal, Leao has looked more comfortable and the 4-2-3-1 probably gives him more freedom and more space to attack. That is an important aspect that must 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 does not happen as often as before. Fonseca’s possession (56.3%) and his idea of bringing more players into the attacking third reduces the times that Leao faces one defender for an individual match, when he is more dangerous.
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Looking purely at the numbers, Leao is slightly underperforming, but not by much. During the first seven Serie A matches he had a 2.03 xG (one goal scored), but also 1.52 xA (3 assists provided). Of the 23 shots, only 10 were on target (43.5%) and there were a total of 295 passes, just two more than goalkeeper Mike Maignan. Numbers can explain his start to the season, but what numbers don’t show is the quality of football he has played so far. It is important for Fonseca and the team that he performs more, also when it comes to his attitude on the pitch.
Leao, alongside Theo Hernandez and Pulisic, is one of the players who will help this team get out of this first crisis. AC Milan won the Derby della Madonnina against Inter, but then also lost two games, including the last against Fiorentina, drew two and also lost two of the two Champions League matches against Liverpool at home and Bayer Leverkusen away. During an away match against Lazio, which ended in a 2-2 draw, both Leao and Theo Hernandez were seen away from the team meeting while Rossoneri manager Fonseca spoke during the second half cool-down break. A moment that worried not only many AC Milan fans, but also neutral spectators. In that match, Lille’s former coach decided to bench both players after a disappointing start to the season, looking for a response from the team.
Despite scoring the opening goal of the match, the Rossoneri struggled in the second half as Lazio staged a quick comeback, scoring twice in the opening minutes. Fonseca was forced to make changes and decided to bring both stars off the bench. Two minutes after Leao entered the field, he scored. A few seconds after scoring the equalizer, the match was stopped for a cool-down break and at that time both players did not participate in the team meeting.
Despite the context of what happened (Fonseca and Theo Hernandez were clear in saying it wasn’t against the manager), this is what needs to change in his behavior. Leao must become the star who drives the other players with his performance and attitude. The talent is there, he just needs to take the mental step needed to complete the process of becoming one of the best players.