AC Milan star Rafael Leao has criticised former Real Madrid striker Antonio Cassano after the pundit claimed Phil Foden and Marcus Rashford were more than him.
Leao has one of the most productive young wingers in Europe and has been in very good form this season. He has 12 goals and 12 assists in his 38 appearances in all competitions.
The Portuguese international’s form for Serie A giants AC Milan is fuelling reports linking him with Paris Saint-Germain, as he is reportedly a potential replacement for Kylian Mbappe, linked to Real Madrid.
Despite this, Leao criticised through Cassano, who argued that the AC Milan star is not as intelligent as Foden, Rashford or Napoli’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
“Leao thinks he’s a genius and some even agree with him,” Cassano told Domenica Sportiva.
“I consider him a smart player and I haven’t changed my brain about it. For five and a half months he did not score goals in a poor league like Serie A. Years ago, he would have struggled to play for the 6th or 7th Serie A Team.
He added: “If I look at Rashford as a winger last year, he scored more than 25 goals and played in a glorious league.
“[Khvicha] Kvaratskhelia arrives and has a great championship. Foden is a year younger and this year he has already scored 21 goals and 10 assists, they are the most sensible players.
“In Italy, the league is not smart and the challenge is that he thinks he’s a phenomenon and there are a lot of other people who are in it.
“He’s a player and he’s got a wonderful physical strength, that’s enough. So, Kaka, Rui Costa, Vinicius? We’re talking about a general player who has physical strength.
Taking to social media to respond, Leao made clear what he thinks of Cassano.
??????? https://t. co/wemss1mFXq
– Rafael León (@RafaeLeao7) April 8, 2024
Pep Guardiola doesn’t have to face Ballon d’Or contenders Foden and Kevin De Bruyne together in recent games, but the Belgian foreigner believes they can team up in the same XI.
“Phil has been this season, so he deserves it, he’s keeping me going to give me that little push,” De Bruyne said in an interview with Manchester City’s website.
“It’s imaginable (to play in combination in midfield with Foden). When I started with David Silva, no one imagined it would be imaginable, but we controlled it somehow.
“David the oldest player and I the youngest and the runner, now it’s going to be a bit the other way around. I don’t see why not. I don’t think we’ve done much. If I can do it with Julián (Álvarez), who is more forward, then I can do it with Phil too.