Rafa and Giroud as Gullit with Van Basten in ’88. The Portuguese: “Yes, the same”. Then the revenge on social media: “he won humility”
Paolo Maldini told about him shortly before the match started: “He smiles every time he scores, this is something I’ve never seen any other player do.” Maldini actually provided an incomplete indication this time because this time Leao had started smiling well before arriving on the Maradona lawn. He had done it on the eve when he got off the Rossoneri bus to go into the hotel, while the Neapolitan fans teased him. He smiled when he made the reverse journey, leaving the hotel to get on the bus that would take him to Fuorigrotta, while the Neapolitan fans drastically increased the level of insults. And he smiled when he entered the field to warm up. For those who don’t know it yet, Rafa’s smile is basically his thermometer: if there is, it’s easy for things to take a good turn – at least in personal terms -; if he isn’t there – and this happened for several weeks throughout the season – then it will probably happen that he will have to regret the real Rafa.
The shoe shiner
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“Sometimes he needs to be stimulated – Maldini also said, uniting him in this sense to Hernandez -. But in matches like these there is no need”. No, definitely not. Leao took center stage in the stadium named after a gentleman who, from up there, putting rivalry aside for a moment, must have applauded the Portuguese’s magic. Seventy meters of personal revving with the ball glued to his feet, jumping three opponents – Ndombelé, Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani – and serving the sweetest of chocolates on Giroud’s left foot. An action that recalled – a lot – that of Gullit, for Virdis’ goal in the scudetto challenge at the San Paolo in ’88. More simply: an action worthy of the stage – the quarter-finals of the Champions League – on which it was proposed. To thank him, Giroud dusted off a celebration that a (nice) few years ago was very popular with Moriero and Ronaldo: Olivier bowed in front of Leao and polished his shoe.
Among other things, Rafa also won the match against Kvaratskhelia. That he tried to look for space, light, shots, and in part he succeeded but without framing the goal. Many of the offensive maneuvers have passed from the feet of the Georgian, which however did not materialize. Leao scored a penalty and then served the winning assist: the praise of concreteness. Then, after the match, Rafa posted a photo on social media dedicated, as can be guessed, to all those who insulted him, taken not by chance next to Theo, another who ended up heavily in the sights of Neapolitan fans: finger on nose, i.e. everyone shut up. “Humility has won”, he wrote in another post.
Pride
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Then the words on TV: “Did I act like Gullit with Van Basten in Naples? Yes, it’s actually the same. I know I can make a difference. If I can’t score goals, my teammates are there. I’m happy to be here. It is a pride to defend this shirt. There are no words for those who work with me. Last year I had a good season in the league and I wanted to show it again this year in the Champions League. And I’m learning on penalties… I want to keep dreaming, higher up, like all the players who are in Milan: we want to win the Champions League and we are one step away from it. We have to try until the end.” Now, if ever there were still doubts, Milan must make sure – in any way – to keep Rafa at Milanello. He says he’s happy to “be here”, but in the meantime the weeks continue to pass and it’s time to move from moderate optimism to facts. Missing it at this point would be shortsighted.
April 18, 2023 (change April 18, 2023 | 23:52)
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