Fabio Capello, one of Italy's greatest coaching legends, criticized a certain forward.

Capello, who built his reputation by managing top Italian teams like AC Milan and Juventus, has also led prestigious clubs such as Real Madrid and the England national team. He has won league titles and the UEFA Champions League (UCL), securing a total of 15 trophies, making him one of the world's top managers.

Capello has now criticized Rafael Leão, a forward for the Portugal national team competing in Euro 2024. Leão is one of Serie A’s standout attackers. The 25-year-old has been playing for AC Milan since 2019. This season, he has scored 15 goals, marking three consecutive seasons with at least 10 goals, demonstrating his consistency. He is currently attracting interest from many top clubs.

However, Leão has been underperforming in Euro 2024. He started in Portugal’s first Group F match against the Czech Republic but was substituted in the 63rd minute without making a significant impact. Portugal won 2-1. In the second match against Turkey, Leão faced humiliation. He started but was replaced at halftime due to his poor performance. Portugal won 3-0. He did not play in the third match against Georgia.

Capello pointed to Serie A as the reason for Leão’s struggles. The key issue is that Leão, accustomed to the slow pace and tempo of Serie A, is unable to adapt to the faster pace of international games.

In a statement to local media, Capello said, "Why is a decisive striker in Serie A like Leão struggling in the Euros? I understand his difficulties. In Italy, the game is played at a slower pace, which suits Leão. His speed troubles all Serie A defenders. There are few players in Serie A who dribble like Leão. But it’s different in the Euros." Essentially, Capello assessed Leão as a player who thrives in the slower tempo of Serie A but struggles at the faster pace of international tournaments.

Following Capello, Italian legend Giorgio Chiellini also criticized Leão. Chiellini, a Juventus legend and former Italy national team defender, played 561 matches over 17 seasons for Juventus and earned 117 caps for Italy. He has won a total of 23 trophies in his career.

Speaking to local media, Chiellini said, "Leão is not performing well. He is struggling in the Euros. I am not confident in Leão. We all hoped he would develop further, but he hasn't. He is lacking. His potential has not been fully realized. I am unsure if he has the desire to score more goals and provide more assists."

He continued, "Currently, Leão is not a player who can start for a team aiming for the league title or UCL victory. He is merely a bench player. Compared to Real Madrid's Vinícius and Rodrygo, Leão does not reach their level," he criticized. 먹튀검증