The Rossoneri was unable to respond to the call from his national team, but now works with trusted trainers close to his children. The goal? Be the protagonist in the final sprint of the championship
Rafa returns home. After Wednesday’s hit-and-run consultation with a specialist outside Italy, yesterday – in agreement with Milan – Leao flew away again. This time he heads to his native Portugal to follow a personalized program with some trusted trainers, with whom he has also often worked in the recent past, especially in the summer. The objective is to be ready as soon as possible, after having missed the match against Torino before the international break. The Portuguese striker has been tormented for months by the discomfort in his right adductor suffered on 8 December in the first leg against Toro. He stopped for a few weeks, then – once he returned – he gritted his teeth, still giving his contribution to the Rossoneri cause (four goals in 2026), despite not being at 100%. Massimiliano Allegri, however, needs a full-service Leao up front. This is why, following a coach-player confrontation on the eve of the home match against the Granata, Max decided to leave him out of the squad.
Plan
—
Rafa’s name, however, had been included in coach Martinez’s list for Portugal’s friendlies with Mexico and the United States. “He is absolutely not capable of playing,” Allegri commented on Saturday, suggesting that Leao would remain at Milanello. A half-truth, because in fact the attacker was unable to respond to his national team’s call, but – as mentioned – the recovery program for at least this weekend will start from Portugal. Leao will train alone (he will not be accompanied by members of Milan’s technical or medical staff), he will spend time with his family (his sons Leonardo and Tiago live in Lisbon) and he will recharge his batteries to experience the end of the season as a protagonist, including the World Cup. As long as his groin gives him some respite. The specific work is aimed precisely at this end. Next week, then, at Milanello we will evaluate whether he can immediately return to the pitch in Naples or whether it will be necessary to see Rafa a few more days.
View on the future
—
Certainly, the next two months will be very important for the Rossoneri number ten. First of all to understand if the physical problems will be definitively left behind before the World Cup, an event that Leao obviously cares about a lot. So to hold on to Milan. Rafa has a contract until 2028 and in recent months the first contacts had already started to study the renewal plan. The outburst at the time of the substitution at the Olimpico against Lazio – after a couple of striking gestures to underline Pulisic’s lack of deep serves – brought back memories of the Rafa of the past, that of the cooling break in the company of Theo Hernandez away from the rest of the team, and gave new breath to the Portuguese’s critics. But beyond the factions, even within Milan it is time for evaluations. Leao, in a season in which he was rarely at his best physically, still scored 10 goals (9 in the championship alone in 22 appearances), abandoning the left wing (his comfort zone since he exploded at Milan) and adapting to playing as a center forward in a two-man attack. At the same time, if Allegri wanted to maintain the same tactical structure in the future, the doubts about Rafa would not be completely out of the question. Because as a “nine” he will also score, but he struggles to make a consistent impact and above all to constantly help the team as requested by Max. In short, the usual problems, which Leao can still deny by playing a leading role in the final sprint of the championship.
Mission
—
Milan are second, -6 from the top and on Easter Monday at Maradona a sort of play-off will be played with Napoli to decide the role of anti-Inter between now and the end of the tournament. Who knows if the Portuguese striker will be there. The Rossoneri fans still have in mind his spells against the Azzurri in 2022-23, first of all the irresistible ride in the Champions League complete with an assist for Giroud’s goal. It seems like a lifetime ago, or rather a Leao ago. Rafa has the task of once again driving opposing defenders and fans crazy.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
