Why Leao is not included in Milan starting line-up against Genoa – Football Italia – May 5 latest

MILAN, ITALY – MARCH 15: Rafael Leao of AC Milan in action during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Como 1907 at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on March 15, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Milan take on Genoa in the Monday night kick-off in Serie A, but Sergio Conceicao and the Rossoneri will have to do without star forward Rafael Leao, who has been left among the substitutes at the Marassi. 

In a surprise call, Leao has been left out of the Milan starting line-up away against Genoa and has been replaced by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who will play alongside Christian Pulisic and behind Luka Jovic in the only Rossoneri change from their 2-0 win over Venezia last time out. 

You can follow the action from Genoa-Milan on the Football Italia Liveblog.

Why Leao has not been included in Milan line-up against Genoa 

According to updates from Daniele Luongo, Leao has been left out of the starting line-up for tactical reasons, as opposed to any injury or fitness concerns. There have been suggestions from other outlets, including Sky, that Leao is being rested ahead of the Friday night game against Bologna coming up at the end of the week. 

The Portugal international has scored 11 goals and provided 12 assists across all competitions. All seven of the goals he has scored in Serie A this season have come away from home, the most recent coming in a 4-0 win against Udinese in mid-April. 

This is not the first time that Leao has been left out of the Milan line-up this season. It has already happened on seven occasions in Serie A this term. 

Leao has provided two goals and two assists from his previous seven appearances as a substitute in Serie A. 

What Conceicao said about Leao and resting players for Genoa 

Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Sunday, Conceicao said that he was ‘counting’ on the quality of  players such as Leao and his colleague on the left flank, Theo Hernandez.

“Everyone knows the quality of the Milan players, but what we need is consistency. Theo Hernandez and Rafael Leao won the Scudetto with Milan, they are amongst the best in the world. Sometimes things don’t go the way they should, but I am counting on them, as I do with everyone,” the Rossoneri coach said.

When asked if he might be inclined to rest players against Genoa, Conceicao replied by saying that every player is important, and not just the 11 who start.

“Every day that we come here, there is the responsibility of working for a club like Milan. The Serie A table is what it is, but we have the responsibility to prove our quality every day, to prove we are a different team from the one that we appeared to be at times.

“I don’t care what other coaches do. I also respect Fabio Capello a great deal, but he has his ideas and I have mine. Besides, the game is not just the 11 players who start, but those who come off the bench too.”