Leao: “Pubalgia and out of position, this year at Milan has been exhausting”

For those who perhaps missed the first episode at the end of May, the sequel has now arrived. Rafa Leao returns to speak from retirement with the Portuguese national team, reiterating his desire to say goodbye to Milan and, at the same time, explaining in more detail what didn’t work last season. “I need a new challenge – he reiterated to Sport TV -. In Italy the championship is evolving, but for my football the Premier League or La Liga would enhance my talent and me as a player more. If the opportunity of the Premier League were to arrive, I would be very happy: I think I would be able to compare my talent with players who are at a very high level”.

position

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When last week the Portuguese bluntly made clear his desire to leave Milan, the club didn’t take it very well (euphemism), also because Rafa effectively put the club against the wall, with potential economic damage. Now Leao also spills the beans on everything that in his opinion didn’t work in the year just ended. “It was a difficult season. I played injured for 4-5 months with a groin, in a position that isn’t mine. The tactical system didn’t help me. I felt I could make a difference, but the way the team played didn’t put me in a position to do it. In the end it becomes exhausting. However, I’ve often played as a second striker in my career and I think it’s my favorite role. And I can also play the false 9, especially in a team like Portugal. As a winger, after dribbling, I have more time to think whether to shoot, dribble again or cross, playing as a second striker, I’m closer to the goal and I have to be more concrete: it’s a detail I have to work on. In the end, football is based on numbers, and it’s the last step I’m missing.”

ready? I’m Paolo

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Then, a mention of some singles. Starting from the first contact with Maldini, when he was at Lille: “There had first been an interest from Inter. Luis Campos told me that they were thinking of selling me. I said that I wanted to stay another year. Then a few days later he told me that Milan would come forward with a €25 million offer. And he told me that someone wanted to talk to me. A few hours later they handed me a phone and… Maldini, Maldini who was talking to me. I couldn’t say no.” On Ibra: “He’s a good person, but if you’re weak psychologically, you let him influence you. The approach sometimes seems negative. If you’re someone who immediately feels attacked by his way of addressing you, you’ll feel bad. He’s not the type to pat you on the back, not even in training. Personally, he’s always been very important to me. He’s helped me on and off the pitch. He’s an idol. And for me, who am sometimes a little distracted, he always kept me on my toes in every minute of game”. And finally on Pioli: “From the second year he began to understand me better as a person and gave me that freedom to express my talent. He prepared the team very well: I was free simply to play football”,