Mauro Tassotti peremptory on Rafael Leao
Mauro Tassotti peremptory on Rafael Leao
Mauro Tassotti gave an interview to the microphones of Gazzetta dello Sport in which he did not mince words on the situation related to Rafael Leao: "Milan cannot do without him, è a player too important for the team. I don’t know the situation from the inside but if they are punitive benches è that’s one thing, if Leao stays out by technical choice then there’è something is wrong".
"If you have a great footballer in the squad you have to put him in the conditions to express himself at his best,” added the former Rossoneri fullback. “Sometimes there is turnover to spur him on, but without getting to masochism".
On Saturday against Monza Leao is expected to return as a starter: "To be honest, I would have expected him against Napoli as well. He would certainly have created danger on the left, and maybe someone else could have been asked to make an extra sacrifice in coverage. There’è Morata who already runs like a desperate man. Against Napoli Leao always had great games, and if he is well we need to keep him on the field as much as possible. If he is not well è another matter. But the strongest guy on the team, if he can, has to play".
"The’coach has to recover him fully. Between now and the end of the season he must spend time on the field and not on the bench. Then characteristics are characteristics, we will never see Leao kill himself in defensive slides. Attitudes are another thing and it è right that Rafa has the right attitude. But he is not è and never will be; a generous player, è a matter of character. Morata is è and always has been, he is not. There are players, often with those same characteristics, who have an attitude a little bit ’ like that. Cassano comes to mind, someone you have to stay on".
"Rafa could have exploited his speedà with Napoli. In fact, I say that in general he should do it even more; especially when he doesn’t have the ball. Too often he just wants it between his feet. He has the abilityà to jump over the man with ease; he should run off without the ball and shoot with one touch, giving up that whole series of dribbles. He needs to complete himself: that way he would make opponents even more afraid" concluded Tassotti.
