Rafael Leão emphasized that his actions during the recent match against Chile were motivated by a desire to defend a teammate and that he had no intention of causing harm to an opposing player. His claims come after he received a direct red card in the friendly match, a situation that drew attention and garnered support from Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes.
The AC Milan forward faced scrutiny for his behavior on the pitch following the incident on Saturday, but he took to Instagram to clarify his stance: “Regarding my sending off, I simply wanted to protect my teammate and never intended to hurt the opponent,” he posted.
LISBON, PORTUGAL – JUNE 06: Rafael Leão #17 of Portugal interacts with Guillermo Maripan #3 and Ivan Roman #5 of Chile during an international friendly match at Estadio Nacional do Jamor in Lisbon, Portugal. (Photo by Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images)
“Thank you to all the Portuguese fans who were at Jamor; the atmosphere was incredible. We move forward together,” Leão added in his post.
Bruno Fernandes, a fellow Portuguese player and Manchester United midfielder, showed his support by commenting “United” in Portuguese, to which Leão responded.
Due to recent criticism from fans, Leão has limited comments on his social media posts.
MILAN, ITALY – MAY 10: Rafael Leão of AC Milan gestures during the Serie A match against Atalanta BC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Following the incident, Leão is likely to face a one-game ban, which means he could still play in Portugal’s upcoming friendly before the World Cup, mitigating any suspension for the tournament’s first match.
Portugal’s 2026 World Cup campaign will kick off on June 17 against DR Congo, followed by matches against Fabio Cannavaro’s Uzbekistan on June 23, and concluding with a group stage fixture against Colombia on June 28.
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