AC Milan Star Leao Hits Back at Cassano’s Criticism: “Serie A Underestimated?”
AC Milan forward Rafael Leao is firing back at criticism from former Italian footballer Antonio Cassano, who recently downplayed Leao’s abilities.
Leao a Key Player for Milan
The 24-year-old Portuguese winger has become a vital part of AC Milan’s success. His impressive performances earned him a long-term contract extension, solidifying his commitment to the club until 2028.
Stats and Recent Performance
The Milan winger’s contributions haven’t gone unnoticed despite being overshadowed by teammate Christian Pulisic this season. He boasts a record of six goals and nine assists in 27 Serie A appearances. His latest goal came in a convincing 3-0 victory against Lecce.
Cassano’s Scathing Remarks
However, former footballer Cassano offered a harsh critique of Leao on Italian program Domenica Sportiva. He questioned Leao’s self-perception and claimed the Serie A league diminishes his performance.
Cassano stated, “He thinks he is a genius, and some even agree with him. I just consider him a good player, and I haven’t changed my mind on that. For five-and-a-half months, he didn’t score in a poor league like Serie A. Years ago, he would’ve struggled to play in the sixth or seventh team in Serie A.”
He further compared Leao to other young stars: “If I look at Rashford as a winger last year, he scores more than 25 goals and plays in a wonderful championship…
Foden is a year younger and this year he has already scored 21 goals and 10 assists, they are top players. In Italy, the championship is not good, and the problem is that he thinks he is a phenomenon, and there are a lot of people who believe in it.
He’s a good player and has great physical strength, stop. So Kaka, Rui Costa, Vinicius? What are we talking about? We’re talking about a normal player who has physical strength.”
Leao Rejects Criticism
The Portuguese clearly took offense to Cassano’s comments and responded on social media. While he avoided using words directly, he posted a video of Cassano’s critique alongside a series of clown emojis, expressing his disapproval.
