One goal in the first eleven matchdays, Rafael Leao is probably going through his most complicated moment since he wore the Rossoneri shirt. The feeling with compatriot Fonseca did not develop. On the contrary. After the first disagreements, Leao began a ‘normalisation’ operation which led the Rossoneri coach to exclude his number 10 from the match against Udinese and then yesterday to replace him shortly after the hour mark. “There is no specific problem with him. The change is not a punishment, we needed Okafor and Chukwueze. It must be seen as normality, Rafa must see it as normality and work to be able to help the team like all the players “, declared Mister Fonseca post-match.
However, the images that arrived yesterday from San Siro described a situation that was anything but normal, much less serene. Leao was replaced in the 61st minute by Okafor who a few seconds after his entry served the ball to Reijnders to make it 2-1: at the time of the goal, the Portuguese was walking around the pitch to return to the bench and was right near the side short, near the Club Brugge goalkeeper. After the goal, however, he did not celebrate with the team: he raised his arms high and then continued on his lap, without stopping. Emerson Royal went towards him, tried to shake him, but to no avail. The Portuguese only observed his teammates’ celebration which he didn’t even participate in with a smile, until he went to sit on the bench.
At the end of the match, Leao was the first to leave San Siro. The match ended at 8.42pm and a quarter of an hour later he had already taken the road to leave the stadium, well ahead of all his teammates.