Milan’s Rafael Leão hails Stefano Pioli: “He deserves the best, he helped me grow as a man” | OneFootball

Milan star Rafael Leão has hailed the club’s manager Stefano Pioli, describing him as someone who didn’t just improve him as a player but also improved him as a man.

The Portuguese star isn’t having the best of seasons and was also inconsistent last season, but he did sign a new deal with the club to confirm his long-term stay. He was vital to the club’s march to the Scudetto in the 2021/22 season and was also an important player in their march to the Champions League semi-final last season.

Sky Italia caught up with the winger recently and he was asked about a host of things and that included manager Pioli. Leão had a lot of positives to say, as he hailed his man management and flexibility.

He said: “At the beginning the relationship was a bit strange. I’m a person to whom you have to say the right and direct things without beating around the bush too much. If you talk to me for 30 minutes, I won’t listen to you. His approach was aggressive, I’m calm and therefore you have to know how to relate to me. But he understood me and changed. He often called me to ask me about my family, if I needed anything, about the way I play.

“From there our relationship changed as if it were a relationship between dad and son. When I go on the pitch I also have the responsibility to play to repay his trust . He deserves the best , he has helped me grow as a man and has made me responsible. He always tells me the right thing, he doesn’t say nonsense things. He doesn’t speak much but he tells me the right things.”

Pioli has been under pressure this season due to the Rossoneri’s inconsistent showings in the Serie A and their knockout from the Champions League. But he remains at the helm of affairs and Leão will be vital in swinging the pendulum in his manager’s favour.

Kaustubh Pandey | GIFN