MILAN, ITALY – AUGUST 17: Rafael Leao of AC Milan celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Coppa Italia match between AC Milan and SSC Bari at Stadio San Siro on August 17, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Former Milan defender Alessandro Florenzi and Premier League cult hero Paolo Di Canio were in disagreement over Rafael Leao’s potential ability following the 0-0 draw between the Rossoneri and Juventus in Serie A on Sunday evening.
Leao was named among the substitutes, but was introduced after an hour at the Allianz Stadium. His teammate Christian Pulisic had missed a penalty which would have sent the Rossoneri 1-0 up, before Leao went on to miss a good opportunity in front of goal in the 90th minute.
The Portugal international has missed a significant chunk of matches at the start of the 2025-26 season through injury, but has appeared as one of the centre-forwards in a 3-5-2 in the matches that he has featured in thus far.
Florenzi and Di Canio argue over Leao
Leao’s ability and influence on the Milan side was one of the main topics of discussion between Di Canio and Florenzi on Sky Calcio Club after the 0-0 draw with Juventus on Sunday night.
“For me, the most important task that Allegri has is finding a place for Rafa,” Florenzi, Leao’s former teammate, said.
“He improved a lot under Pioli, but he had a team that was built around him. For me, he’s not a normal player. He’s so strong. Leao hasn’t yet understood how strong he is.”
Di Canio, however, does not share the same opinion.
“He needs continuity. In my opinion, he thinks he’s stronger than the others. For years, we’ve been saying that he could become a devastating player, but sometimes he loses it.”
Florenzi argued that Leao would be better suited to the style of play in the Premier League than Serie A.
“It’s not like that,” he said in response to Di Canio. “I’ve experienced it with Leao. He’s much more genuine than you think he is. He would do better in the Premier League.”
Again, Di Canio did not agree with Florenzi’s opinion: “I’ll stop this immediately, because that’s a legacy from the 1980s. There are 15 foreign coaches in the Premier League, the football is fast, at two thousand miles per hour with the rain and the wind. If you throw yourself to the ground over there, they laugh and don’t respect you.
“Mutu and Shevchenko scored a lot of goals here (in Italy), then they went and scored five goals over there and ended up coming back. The level is too high now. It’s hard, you don’t understand.”
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