GdS: Leao exploring the centre – Fonseca’s move to make him ‘unpredictable’

There was a time a few weeks ago when it felt like Rafael Leao was in his worst moment at AC Milan, and now he appears to be back to his near-best.

As La Gazzetta dello Sport write in their analysis, there is no doubting that Leao gives his best when he has the space to accelerate on the wing. The goal against Atalanta proves it: a surge down the left and a perfect square pass for Alvaro Morata to fire in.

Football, however, evolves quickly and that is why the Portuguese needs to be able to offer something a bit different. We saw this briefly under Stefano Pioli, who used him as a centre-forward and even behind the striker at times, mostly with very little success.

Fonseca is continuing his work in some ways, however – unlike his predecessor who in some cases had actually modified the formation – Leao’s migration is more philosophical and less extemporaneous than before.

The more games pass, the more visible it is: Leao finds himself more and more often in central areas, sharing the same sort of areas as Morata and looking for the breakthrough centrally rather than out wide.

The objectives? Bring him a little closer to the goal and free up the flank for Theo Hernandez (and maybe for Morata himself, who loves to roam on the left). The signs are there: the goal against Lazio off the bench, the shot in Madrid that led to Morata scoring and the one against Sassuolo.

Is it a sustainable experiment? At this stage it is too early to tell, but with Christian Pulisic set to be sidelined for at least a couple of games, someone will have to pick up the baton and cause danger in and around the edge of the box.