It’s not the start Rafael Leão or AC Milan wanted for the Serie A season. The Rossoneri have struggled in their first three matches, with two draws and a defeat. Except for Christian Pulisic, who has been average, the rest of Milan’s main stars, including Rafael Leão, have been underperforming.
So much so that new AC Milan manager Paulo Fonseca benched Leão in their poor 2-2 draw with Lazio. During a water break, both Rafael Leão and Theo Hernandez did not rejoin the team for instructions from Fonseca, which caught the attention of fans and pundits.
Paolo Di Canio blasted the pair, stating, “Here we are talking about serious things; this is a disgrace in my opinion. You are not at an after-work team where you can do what you want. Here you are at Milan. We are talking about Theo and Leão; one of them is often the captain too. But what are you doing? Your teammates will have felt downgraded by your attitude.”
Rafael Leão Hits Back on X
Taking to X, Rafael Leão posted an image of Di Canio performing a Nazi salute. On March 1, 2001, Di Canio made the gesture after scoring a goal for Lazio in a Serie A match against Napoli. The salute was controversial due to its association with fascism, although Di Canio later claimed it was meant as a salute to Lazio fans, not a political statement.
Leão’s post was intended to “hit back” and criticize Di Canio for his statement. AC Milan manager Paulo Fonseca has since tried to defuse the situation.
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“I have already spoken to Theo. I don’t tell lies; you know me, I’m always sincere and honest. There is no problem with Theo and Rafa. They didn’t start the match, but I spoke to them during the week, and they understood. They came in well because I think if there had been a problem, they wouldn’t have come in like that,” Fonseca stated.
