Former AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli has weighed in on the club's current situation, suggesting that new recruits such as USMNT's Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah need to provide better support to Rafael Leao, who has been a key figure for the Rossoneri, reported by GOAL.
AC Milan, who clinched the Serie A title in the 2021-22 season, have leaned heavily on their Portuguese forward, Leao. Despite the efforts to bolster the squad with creative talents like Pulisic and Musah in the recent transfer window, these big-money signings are still adapting to their new environment.
Balotelli, in an interview with TVPlay, emphasized the club's dependency on Leao, stating, “I like [Stefano] Pioli, but if Leao isn't performing well, Milan does very little. If Leao has a bad day, it's difficult for Milan to win.”
Christian Pulisic has managed to score two Serie A goals for Milan but was dropped from the starting lineup in the Champions League. On the other hand, Yunus Musah, another United States international, has been deployed in an unfamiliar wing-back role.
One area of concern for Milan is their striker department, where Olivier Giroud, at 36 years old, is leading the attack. Balotelli jokingly offered his services to the club, given his history with Milan. He noted, “Here I am. Milan's problem is that the young players you sign then have to deal with San Siro, which is not a stadium like any other. You need players with personality.”
Balotelli remains uncertain if the new USMNT stars can live up to the task ahead of them, to help Rafael Leao and AC Milan to glory.