Barcelona have been one of the most active clubs in signing players before the start of the pre-season. They are looking for players who can improve their team and bring some trophies to Camp Nou. Erling Haaland was identified as the player to lead their attack next season, but currently, the situation looks out of hand for Barcelona. The Norwegian is also on the radar of many other clubs, and Borussia Dortmund are not going to sell him at a cheaper price. Barcelona are reportedly out of the race and have turned their eyes on AC Milan ace Rafael Leao. The Portuguese is one of the hottest young talents in modern football and adds a lot of pace and creativity to the team. Barcelona are closely monitoring his situation at the Italian club and will look to add the 22-year-old to their ranks.
The Portuguese international has been one of AC Milan’s goal-scoring threats in the UEFA Champions League as well as in Serie A. He made four appearances in the elite competition and scored one goal along with an assist. AC Milan usually play with a front three, and Rafael Leao is their main attacker on the left side. From the above map, we can observe that Leao has received most of the passes when he is wide on the pitch. The attacker has also taken five touches inside the opposition’s penalty box. Rafael Leao just attempted one shot in the competition and scored the goal with the only opportunity he got.
The above viz shows all the passes attempted by Rafael Leao in the four UCL matches. He attempted 55 passes, with a passing accuracy rate of 67.27%. From the above viz, we can observe that 13 passes attempted by the attacker landed inside the opposition’s penalty box and three of them inside the opposition’s 6-yard box. These 55 passes included 11 crosses, three long passes, four smart passes and through passes each. He provided an assist in the first match of the competition against Liverpool.
The Portuguese international also made some crucial defensive contributions for the Italian club. The above viz shows all the 41 duels contested by the player. These 41 duels included 14 loose ball (50/50) duels, 14 defensive duels, and 13 aerial duels. Of these 41 duels, 24 of them were contested inside the opposition’s half. His other defensive contributions include six interceptions and four recoveries. The player has been influential at both ends of the pitch.
Rafael Leao can add a new dynamic to Barcelona’s attack. He can create as well as score goals and also likes to contest duels for winning the ball. He is a cheaper alternative to Erling Haaland and could be a great addition to the Spanish club. They will look to acquire his services before the other clubs make an offer for him.
