Milan Head Coach Plays Down Rafael Leao Quarrel After Udinese Win | OneFootball

Paulo Fonseca’s tactical gamble paid off as 10-man Milan got an all-important 1-0 win against Udinese over the line. Despite the high stakes, the Portuguese manager revamped his starting line-up following a 2-1 defeat at Fiorentina.

Rafael Leao’s omission raised a few eyebrows. However, his deputy, Noah Okafor, had a decent game. Milan claimed their third consecutive home win in Serie A, courtesy of Samuel Chukwueze’s first goal of the 2024/25 season. The Nigerian was another surprise in Fonseca’s XI.

Leao’s frosty relationship with the new Milan manager has raised significant concerns during the early campaign. But the former Roma boss insists there’s no quarrel between them, insisting no player is more important than the Rossoneri.

“Milan is more important than any,” Fonseca said after the game, as reported by Calciomercato. “We must not create a case around Leao because it doesn’t exist. Rafa had a small discomfort in his flexor and was the first to celebrate the victory in the locker room with his teammates.“

Milan fought bravely in the face of adversity to take three points as Tijjani Reijnders picked up a straight red midway through the first half. Fonseca expressed gratitude for his players’ fighting spirits.

“Not winning would have been a great injustice. The players deserved these three points. Today, it was difficult to decide who to take off. Okafor was playing a great game, but he understood the change,” the Milan boss was adamant.

There’s no time for celebration. Milan will take on Club Brugge in a must-win UEFA Champions League fixture next Tuesday.