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Cristiano Ronaldo Al-Nassr, JULY 27, 2023 – Football / Soccer : Friendly match between Al-Nassr FC 1-1 Inter Milan at Yanmar Stadium Nagai in Osaka, Japan. PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxJPN 225122802
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Cristiano Ronaldo Al-Nassr, JULY 27, 2023 – Football / Soccer : Friendly match between Al-Nassr FC 1-1 Inter Milan at Yanmar Stadium Nagai in Osaka, Japan. PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxJPN 225122802
Rafael Leao fired shots at the Saudi Pro League after his latest comments made to sports journalist, Fabrizio Romano. Prior to these remarks, the winger had a chat with Cristiano Ronaldo in which he stated that the Portuguese believes SPL will reach new heights with the signings they’ve been making. However, Leao’s comment didn’t sit well with a former Serie A player. The Roma icon shared a stern response for the AC Milan player.
Rafael Leao is one of the brightest talents in Europe. The Portuguese winger was in talks with many clubs this season but chose to renew his contract with the 7x Champions League-winning club.
Rafael Leao is overrated says a pundit
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Rafael Leao has been exceptional for AC Milan. The Portuguese winger scored 15 goals and provided 10 assists in 35 appearances last season. This season the No. 10 has scored 3 goals and made 2 assists in the last five fixtures for the club. However, these stats haven’t been able to woo a former Serie A icon, Antonio Cassano.
In an interview with Calciomercato, Antonio Cassano provided a blunt retort to Leao’s remarks as he said, “Leao is neither meat nor fish, he reminds me of Martial. Last year Nzola scored more goals than him. In Champions [League] you need players with personality and who break matches but Milan has no champions. Pioli? He is strong strong,” as translated by DeepL.
Rafael Leao’s performances speak volumes. The Portuguese was transitioned to the first team completely last year and has since been a beacon of creativity for the club. AC Milan’s performances were not exceptional in the Champions League semi-finals as they were defeated by Inter Milan.
Cassano’s reply to Rafael Leao was in response to the remarks he made on the Saudi Pro League. He made remarks that suggest that he won’t be taking the Cristiano Ronaldo pathway anytime soon. Lately, he has been receiving both positive and negative feedback on it. But what were the comments made by the former Sporting CP talent?
Leao will not take the Cristiano Ronaldo route
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Rafael Leao is the latest player to reject a move to Saudi Arabia. He made it clear that his priority lies in the Champions League, valuing it more than a lucrative $10.5 million salary. Leao stressed that he wants to achieve significant success before even considering a switch to the Gulf country, stating, “I still haven’t achieved great results to accept going to that league.”
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SAU 9th February 2023 Cristiano Ronaldo scored four goals for Al-Nassr, including his 500th career league goal, as his side beat Al-Wehda 4-0 in the Saudi Pro League. PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xx
Just a few months ago, Leao renewed his contract with AC Milan, highlighting his dedication to achieving success with the club. However, he didn’t rule out the possibility of following in the footsteps of Cristiano Ronaldo later in his career. Leao’s decision reflects the importance many players place on pursuing prestigious titles and personal accomplishments over financial gains in their soccer journey.
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Earlier Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi had also rejected Saudi deals. The Champions League run will be a crucial one for the forward. The club’s first match ended in a draw against Newcastle United. Milan is set to face Borussia Dortmund next. Do you think Rafael Leao will outscore himself this season? Let us know in the comments below.
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