CorSport: How Allegri and his staff are handling the Leao mission in training

Massimiliano Allegri wants to help Rafael Leao reach new heights, and some clues have emerged from training sessions.

In a feature on Leao in today’s edition of Corriere dello Sport (via MilanNews), the paper offers a behind-the-scenes look at the relationship between Allegri and the Portuguese winger, which is obviously still in the early stages.

What’s immediately striking when watching training at Milanello are the intense exchanges between Allegri and Leao at the end of each session. There are constant conversations even during practice matches between the striker and coach aim to continually improve their understanding.

Leao will be the key to the Rossoneri’s season, and Max has been encouraging him since the first day of training. Allegri’s coaching staff even spend time with Leao at the end of each training session to explain the right movements and what the manager’s style of football requires during games.

Photos by Octavio Passos/Getty Images and Marco Rosi/Getty Images

The urge to lead

Leao has been asked to become a leader once and for all as Milan can no longer wait for him. Perhaps that’s why they ultimately decided to go for Allegri, the right coach to try to re-motivate a player who, more than anyone else in the past, has shown he can make a difference.

The upcoming season must therefore be the one in which the Portuguese makes a definitive breakthrough in terms of consistency, especially since – with a contract expiring in June 2028 – things could start to change as early as next summer regarding his future.