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Massimo Ambrosini has spoken out about various matters related to AC Milan, including the Rafael Leao ‘issue’.
Leao’s two big misses in front of goal – along with Christian Pulisic’s missed penalty – are the reason why Milan won’t be top of the table over the break. They would have given the Rossoneri three valuable points against Juventus, but they had to settle for a 0-0 draw in the end.
The winter only fully returned last week and is still not 100% so he has ample mitigating circumstances. However, his inconsistency was something that everyone hopes Allegri would be able to coach out of his, and the early signs are mixed.
Ambrosini spoke on ‘Elastici’ – a programme on Cronache di Spogliatoio – about Leao’s inclusion in Allegri’s plans and the need to resolve where he will play. His comments were relayed by MilanPress.
“Leao is the big issue for Milan, figuring out how to fit him into this technical environment. I don’t think he’ll be on the bench, although I have some doubts about how he’ll fit into this system, especially considering his teammate will be Pulisic. I’m not so sure it’ll be an easy fit or a simple one.
“Does he have the characteristics to be an impact player? No, no, I don’t believe so. That’s an argument that doesn’t work for me. Substitutions make a difference, strong players play, period. If they’re good, they make a difference.
“You can make a difference in the last 30 minutes, but you can make a difference in the first 60. Then, given his characteristics, I struggle to believe he can be decisive, given his nature that doesn’t always lead him to enter the game in a less decisive manner.
“That’s an argument I neither agree with nor approve of. If Leao doesn’t play, it’s because he doesn’t deserve it. Can he play with Pulisic? For me, Allegri doesn’t change. He doesn’t care about having a dominant game.
“The issue is figuring out how to fit a player like Leao alongside a player like Pulisic, who, given their characteristics, playing as a second striker, tend to play a certain style of play. Gimenez is the one who, in my opinion, does the work that allows Pulisic to perform in a certain way.
“My question is: who does the work that Gimenez can do right now, whether consistently or inconsistently – in my opinion, he did it better than anyone in Turin? Does Leao go there and play as a first striker, allowing Pulisic that space between the lines?
“How many games do Milan play with 30 metres to attack instead of 80? More. The striker will be needed, I have some doubts.”
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