Yahoo Sports GdS: Milan still lean towards the left – the fluctuating fortunes of Leao and Theo
Like usual, Theo Hernandez and Rafael Leao will start on the left side for AC Milan against Parma today. Like usual, fans don’t know what to expect from each in terms of performances.
As La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below) write, compared to five months ago – Milan’s defeat in Parma – everything has changed for Leao in a positive sense, while for Theo things are going more or less the same way: below expectations.
Fluctuating fortunes
The Portuguese seems to have already found a better bond with Sergio Conceiçao than he had with Paulo Fonseca and this has contributed to a recent turnaround. The Frenchman has scored a couple of goals under the new boss, yet the feeling is that he isn’t close to the same level as previous years.
Wednesday’s match in the Champions League was emblematic for both: Rafa was a great protagonist and scorer of the only goal, while Theo seemed distracted in his own half and missed a big chance to make it an easier night.
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Today, however, the former Real Madrid man hopes to turn a page and put behind him both the bad performance against the Gialloblu in the first leg (which saw him and Leao benched against Lazio) and other performances below his standards.
The pair know well that the Rossoneri have not earned three points in the league at San Siro for almost two months, the 3-0 win over Empoli on 30 November. Since then there have been draws against Genoa, Roma and Cagliari. The latter with Conceiçao on the bench.
The new coach is yet to win a home Serie A game (though he has only taken charge of one) and today he is aware that his side cannot make mistakes in the top four race. A strong response is expected to show some consistency to the victory against Girona and to arrive in Zagreb with high morale.
This concept was conveyed in a way that was impossible to misunderstand inside the dressing room, before yesterday’s afternoon break-up and the meeting for dinner at the Melia hotel, chosen as the venue for the pre-game retreat.
Contrasting moments
Leao is still very far from the 15 goals he scored in Serie A in 2022-23: he now has four in the league to which must be added the same number in the Champions League (three) and the Coppa Italia (one).
It is too few compared to the immense potential of the Portuguese winger, who Conceiçao believes can become ‘the best in the world’. The former Lille star reciprocates the coach’s esteem and is motivated as he hasn’t been in a while.
In the five games he played under Conceiçao he has scored two goals and provided one assist, but above all he was decisive in earning the victories against Como and Girona and in lifting the Supercoppa Italiana. The last three weeks have been the best of his season and he doesn’t want to stop.
And Hernandez? He has also shown some signs of awakening, as he scored in the final in Riyadh and in Como, but the former captain (the armband is permanently on Mike Maignan’s arm) still makes too many mistakes in the defensive phase and doesn’t gallop forward like in his golden days.
If Milan are to overhaul the deficit to fourth place they cannot do so without Theo getting back to near his best form. He is too important at both ends of the field.
