GdS: ‘Milan ahead without Leao’

AC Milan return to action tonight, taking on table-toppers Napoli at the San Siro, but they will do so without Rafael Leao from the first minute.

As La Gazzetta dello Sport (see below) writes this morning, Napoli arrive with an eight-point advantage over the Rossoneri, also due to the match that was postponed at the weekend against Bologna.

After the wins against Udinese and Club Brugge that have come since the international break, the key is to be more consistent for Milan. However, a shocking piece of news has emerged: Paulo Fonseca should once again choose to put Rafael Leao on the bench from the start.

The newspaper coined a new term: ‘Layout’. The winger stays excluded from starting XI again tonight, in such an important match for Milan against a rival they have faced a lot in recent years and against whom Leao has done well.

Yesterday, Fonseca immediately clarified – without revealing his choices – that Leao’s exclusions are not penalties, but simple technical choices.

“Rafa has worked well as always and it is not a problem or a coincidence. We are sure he will return soon to show what we expect from him,” he said.

Now everything is in the hands of the player: it will be up to him, with the time given to him, to take his place back. Currently, Fonseca is relying more on Okafor and Chukwueze and they will get the nod tonight.

Leao is an asset for the Diavolo and that is why the club does not want to give him up. In recent days, Zlatan Ibrahimovic spoke to Rafa, almost like an older brother, so now the management wants him to be more active on the pitch and in the defensive phase.

In the meantime, Fonseca must deal with other selection issues. Theo Hernandez and Tijjani Reijnders are suspended, while Matteo Gabbia, Tammy Abraham and Luka Jovic are injured.