‘These were my first words for Rafa’ – Fonseca reflects on time at Milan and Leao’s potential

Former AC Milan coach Paulo Fonseca has revealed that his first words to Rafael Leao were about aiming for the highest individual honour in football.

Fonseca was hired by Milan to replace Stefano Pioli before the start of the 2024-25 season, and he didn’t even end up lasting until the new year. The Portuguese was sacked after a 1-1 draw at home against Roma on December 29, and Sergio Conceicao was quickly instated as his replacement.

Despite results being largely poor during his tenure, there was a respect for the head coach from the Curva Sud for the was Fonseca conducted himself. This showed during their 125th anniversary protests, where several members of the squad and management were criticised.

‘These were my first words for Rafa’

The current Lyon coach gave an interview to Sportitalia during the Portugal Football Summit and he spoke about his experiences in Italy, leaving Milan after just a few months and Leao’s potential. Radio Rossonera relayed his words.

Would you come back to Italy one day?

“Just to live there, it’s a country I like a lot, but it will be difficult for me to return to coach there.”

What went wrong at Milan?

“My time at AC Milan was a great experience, it brought me so much. It was a moment of evolution for me, I’m sorry for how things ended. I’m a person with positive feelings.”

There is a lot of talk about Leao at the moment…

“I don’t want to interfere with Milan’s current situation. What I can say is that these were my first words for Rafa: the he could one day be a Ballon d’Or winner. I don’t want to interfere with Milan’s current situation, but I can say that I left many friends at Milan, a club that is close to my heart.

“I know there’s a lot of talk about him. He’s a player with potential, but at 26 you’re no longer young. At his age, there’s no time to waste. Time flies. It would be a shame if he remained just a potentially great player.

“I hope he realises he has the means to compete with the best. But maybe he doesn’t have the willpower or passion of a Modric. Leao needs to ask himself where he wants to go, or if he’s content with what he’s doing , or if his goal is to become what he can be.

“For us, it would be a shame, because it would be a waste if he didn’t express his full potential and didn’t focus 100% on his work. Allegri knows how to get the best out of players. I hope it has a positive impact on him too. Maybe this is the right opportunity for Leao.”