Paulo Di Canio gave a ruthless assessment of Rafael Leao and Theo Hernandez after their on-pitch antics in the second half of Saturday’s 2-2 draw against Lazio, claiming ‘in my day, they would have been punched’.
In a big call by coach Paulo Fonseca, Leao and Hernandez were left out of the Milan starting line-up for Saturday’s clash at the Stadio Olimpico. They both emerged as second-half substitutes and were both involved for the Rossoneri equaliser almost immediately afterwards.
Moments later, as the players gathered on the touchline to listen to the coach’s advice during a mid-game cooling break, Leao and Hernandez stood on the other side of the pitch on their own in a show of defiance.
Di Canio slams Leao and Theo Hernandez
Di Canio, assessing the incident after the game, had nothing but harsh words for the Rossoneri players. He suggested that they would not have been able to get away with their actions in most other situations.
He also hinted that, as star players, they should have known how to better handle their feelings towards the coach.
“I hear people say that they are just kids and that’s how it goes.
“If something like this happens after work, even with my friends messing around and playing, if someone sits there on the side with his their big bellies, I tell them: ‘hey, what are you doing? Come and help us’. And you have to pay €10 to play on the pitch. It’s a disgrace.”
Di Canio also said that Leao and Hernandez would not have been able to get away with what they did during his playing days.
“One of the is even captain sometimes and pipes up as if to say ‘oh look at this’. It delegitimizes the situation. The coach, the teammates who were put down by that attitude, in my day, would have been pinned up against the wall and punched. It’s a disgrace.”
Un Di Canio MAGISTRALE (cosa mi tocca dire) demolisce Theo e Leao con una sottile similitudine sul calcetto al dopolavoro
— Vincenzo Iraniano (@soralhellas) September 1, 2024
Coming from Di Canio? WOW. One of the most self serving footballers to have ever set foot on a football pitch.
Ha fatto bene; meritatissimo; nessuno e’ piu’ grande del Club👌
Ps: They thought they are smart, they clearly proved Fonseca made the wrong choice by scoring within minutes after coming on, however, they should’ve allowed that to speak for itself. Every newspaper would’ve put the coach to the wall for leaving them out and because what they did, they made a mess out of it and no one will speak of that part.
Rosario , Robinho says hi , Lazio also had two clear handball penalties denied , and yet you lot constantly whine about Varotta
Dal1900
Two clear handballing penalties? You seem to think it’s a penalty as long as there is contact, but that isn’t what the rules say.