GdS: Why Allegri is considering the CR7 approach to get the best out of Leao

Massimiliano Allegri is developing a strategy to maximize Rafael Leao's potential at AC Milan, potentially mirroring his approach with Cristiano Ronaldo at Juventus. Both players share a tendency for limited defensive work, and Allegri is adapting tactics to accommodate this trait.

Allegri maintains close communication with Leao, offering frequent encouragement and praise during training, recognizing the winger's critical impact on team performance. He acknowledges that demanding excessive defensive sacrifices from Leao is counterproductive, as evidenced by unsuccessful attempts under previous managers Paulo Fonseca and Sergio Conceição.

Despite Leao's double-digit goals and assists last season, his overall contribution was inconsistent. Allegri plans tactical adjustments based on his Juventus experience, where he used a 4-3-3 formation similar to Milan's current setup. At Juventus, left-sided forward Ronaldo received support from Blaise Matuidi dropping deep, effectively shifting to a 4-4-2. At Milan, Christian Pulisic is expected to fulfill this covering role on the right.

A key challenge involves identifying who will provide defensive coverage on Leao's left flank. Options include Youssouf Fofana and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, while Ardon Jashari's situation remains uncertain. Leao is expected to demonstrate greater defensive effort than Ronaldo did, benefiting from his younger age, though Allegri will avoid overburdening him.

Allegri believes Leao hasn't yet reached his scoring potential and intends to position him closer to the opposition's penalty area. Defensive support will also come from a new left-back, who will offer stronger defensive coverage and positional discipline compared to Theo Hernandez, whose attacking excellence was offset by defensive vulnerabilities last season.

The overall strategy aims to unleash Leao's full abilities through enhanced flank protection from the left-back and midfield, contrasting with Conceição's earlier 3-4-3 experiment. Allegri's "midfield shift" approach seeks to optimize Leao's offensive output while mitigating defensive risks.