Rafael Leao breaks silence after shushing Milan fan against Parma | OneFootball

Rafael Leao caused controversy on Saturday when he seemingly shushed Milan fans at Parma, but he has now clarified that his gesture was aimed at just one supporter.

Rafael Leao shushed a Milan fan in the away end at the Stadio Tardini in Parma on Saturday. It happened after Christian Pulisic’s equaliser in the second half. Initially, it seemed that Leao was addressing all the Rossoneri supporters in the away end, but the Portuguese has now explained the incident.

“The gesture wasn’t and will never be for Curva Sud,” Leao wrote in an Instagram story, as quoted by Gazzetta.

“They’ve always supported me and are the only real fans who backed me in difficult moments. The gesture was aimed at a fan who had made a negative comment when we were down. No Milan player will ever go to the pitch to play badly on purpose.

“We honour this shirt from start to finish, in every game.”

Rafael Leao breaks silence after shushing Milan fan against Parma

A misplaced Leao pass paved the way for Parma’s winner only a few minutes after Pulisic’s equaliser, but the Portuguese insisted that he would not change his style.

“I will continue taking risks. This is what makes me different. I will not change because I took a risk. Yesterday’s game belongs to the past. Now, I want to focus on the next battle. Always with you, Curva Sud.”

Milan Ultras from Curva Sud strongly criticised Leao at the end of the 2023-24 campaign, booing the Portuguese star in one of the final games of the season.

Leao has scored 58 goals in 211 appearances with Milan, winning the Serie A title in the 2021-22 campaign as the Best Serie A Player of the Season.