Milan, Leao after the Champions League victory with PSG: “The criticisms make me angry”

Where the heel couldn’t, the overhead kick succeeded. Rafael Leao had it in his head that one of his performances in the Champions League should be embellished with something to leave a legacy to the UEFA seasonal highlights. Now he’s done it.

growth

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A month and a half after that clumsy back-heel attempt that had weighed down his conscience and mood against Newcastle, he finally pulled the good magic out of the hat: a careful look to observe the parabola of the ball soaring onto Donnarumma’s arm, a couple of steps back to catch time to the defenders and get on the right trajectory, and bicycle in the air hitting safely with his right foot on the edge of the six yard area. And then an angry celebration, with his finger on his mouth to silence everything and everyone. Criticisms that had accumulated like dross on his soul and were becoming increasingly ferocious even if, super Rafa, it is necessary to understand that from a potential world-class champion, with the top salary of the squad and with the number 10 on his shoulders, it is legitimate expect more than what had been done in recent weeks.

difference

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The point is exactly this. From someone like Leao it is reasonable to expect a match like this. A deluxe match in which the star of the team shone. A challenge channeled along certain lines by Rafa, because this is what is asked of a champion: to make the difference in the matches that count. A goal that had been missing for a month and a half – it was September 23rd – and had dried up his goal tally, leaving him stuck at three. Even the Champions League had become difficult territory: last goal a year ago, on 25 October 2022 in Zagreb. Not that there was only one goal on his evening. Rafa skidded, dribbled, protected his teammates, he never stopped. And this time it’s easy to be seduced by the postcard that saw him as the winner with Mbappé. The challenge within the challenge, which in Paris had been won hands down by Kylian. A postcard that perhaps shines brighter in the eyes of the external observer, because the Portuguese thinks like this at the end of the match: “Mbappè is an idol, I like him a lot, I try to be Rafa”.

ferocity

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Mature words from a 24-year-old boy who aspires to the honors of a leader and world-class player. These are evenings that go in that direction and the other words after the match also reflect mature reflections: “Today the prize belongs to the whole team. We showed everyone who we are, in our home, I have no words. I’m happy, we did an incredible job. I’m very happy. Shiny eyes? It’s the match that could have changed everything, victory was the most important thing and we achieved it. Now let’s look ahead. This success has given us confidence. Exultation? Criticism pushes me, you keep talking and I talk on the pitch. I do my job, what we did today we did together. We believe in qualification.” Here it is, the little pebble (well, not so ‘ine’), which led him to not only polemical, but even angry exultation. Bad face, zero smiles, the ones he has always accustomed us to. And so the moral of the story is basically only one: if to become a champion and really grow you need to become more ferocious and less smiling, that’s fine too. In fact, maybe it’s better.