Journalist Carlo Pellegatti has likened Rafael Leao’s renewal situation to building a house, while he also outlined what he expects AC Milan to do in the summer window.
Pellegatti gave an exclusive interview to MilanNews and he started by previewing the upcoming Champions League quarter-final tie between Milan and Napoli, one that seems tough to call. If you feel confident calling which way it’s going to go, betting on FUN88 might be for you.
What match do you expect in the Champions League?
“If Napoli had lost 1-0 to Milan, they could be fine, but with 4-0… The start of the match will be decisive, because if Milan transform the first minutes of Wednesday into the third half of Napoli-Milan on 2 April, then problems could arise for Napoli.
“The 0-4 could have an impact. Then it could also happen that it is Napoli who sting and then things change. Hypothesising the progress of the match is difficult.”
In the two meeting with Napoli, Milan did not look out of place…
“I don’t know how this match will end, but my heart beat in the draw. I saw a road, not an easy one, but having City, Real or Bayern… oh well, let’s participate. It’s the same heartbeat that the fans of Inter, Benfica and Napoli eh…
“Milan are very dangerous in the quarter-finals, because they know how it works. Inter made the treble, chapeau, but only once… Milan have never made the treble, but he made a lot of semi-finals. Maldini knows it.”
How is the Leao situation evolving?
“It’s a house under construction: you lay the foundations, make the first floor, the second and we aim for the third. But no. This negotiation is frustrating: you go forward and then go back. It’s not a linear negotiation, but a complicated one.
“It seems the game of the goose: you roll the dice and you can even start from scratch. Leao doesn’t want to pay the fine. My feeling is that Lille and Milan will pay half each. Is it right that Milan pay it? No, zero, but if you want to keep him…”
What should fans expect from the summer market?
“Three players: a midfielder, a striker and, probably, a right winger. Diaz could be No.10, over whom negotiations will start from scratch; keep an eye on Arteta’s Arsenal.
“The striker: we’ll need to make an effort. And then the midfielder: never like now, perhaps with an exchange, one could think of Milinkovic-Savic with whom you would make a big leap in quality.”
