Fonseca dismisses rumors of discord with Milan players following draw against Lazio

AC Milan manager Paulo Fonseca swiftly addressed any speculation of a rift with Rafael Leao and Theo Hernandez following their impactful performances off the bench in a 2-2 draw against Lazio on Saturday. Despite some onlookers interpreting their actions as a snub towards their coach, Fonseca downplayed any tension within the team.

Fonseca left both players out of the starting team, but after his side went 2-1 down he made four changes which immediately turned the game around, with Hernandez and Tammy Abraham, another replacement, involved in Leao's equaliser.

Minutes later, the game stopped for a cooling break, with both managers using the opportunity to instruct their players, but both Leao and Hernandez remained on the far side of the pitch, taking no part in the team talk.

"The situation with Theo and Leao, there is no problem and I think Theo has already explained," Fonseca told DAZN.

"We don't need to create any problems, this week I spoke with the players and they accepted my decision. There is no problem, I was concentrated and I didn't see that they weren't there."

Hernandez had already given his reasons immediately after the game.

"We had been on for two minutes, we didn't need the cooling break," Hernandez said.

"It was nothing against the team and the coach. Then people talk, say things that aren't true. Rafa and I are always with the team to help, and that is the important thing."

Milan are still without a league win this season after three games, but Fonseca saw a decent performance from his side in the opening half which gives him something to work on.

"We had a good first half. We always managed the game well with the ball. When you control the game like this we have to have more moments to become dangerous, but it's something we have to work on," Fonseca told Milan TV.

"We must always have the courage we had in the first half because we did good things. If we had won the other two games this could have been a good result, but it is not so. But we have to start from today's first half."