Paulo Fonseca quickly dismissed any rumours of tension with Rafael Leao and Theo Hernandez, who seemed to ignore him after coming off the bench. The duo was introduced in a quadruple substitution during AC Milan's 2-2 draw with Lazio on Saturday. At the time of their introduction, Milan was trailing 2-1. Their entry, along with debutant Tammy Abraham, helped turn the game around, leading to Leao's equaliser.Fonseca clarified the situation, stating there were no issues with Theo and Leao. "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."During a cooling break shortly after their introduction, both managers took the opportunity to instruct their players. However, Leao and Hernandez remained on the far side of the pitch, not participating in the team talk. This led to speculation about their relationship with Fonseca.Hernandez provided his reasons immediately after the match. "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."Despite not securing a league win this season after three games, Fonseca found positives in Milan's performance against Lazio. He noted that their first-half display gave him something to build on for future matches."We had a good first half," Fonseca told Milan TV. "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."

Focus on Future Improvements

Fonseca emphasised that maintaining courage throughout matches is crucial for improvement. "We must always have the courage we had in the first half because we did good things," he said. "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."Milan's performance showed promise despite their winless streak in Serie A this season. The team's ability to manage possession effectively in the first half indicates potential for future success.Pavlović's header and Leao's equaliser were key moments in Saturday's match against Lazio.

Pavlović's header, @RafaeLeao7's equaliser: #LazioMilan in 60 Brought to you by @SN4IFUN pic.twitter.com/Zo9SHrJ2tX

@acmilan September 1, 2024

Fonseca remains focused on building from these positive aspects as Milan looks ahead to upcoming fixtures in Serie A.The coach’s comments reflect his commitment to improving team performance by addressing areas needing development while recognising strengths shown during matches.Milan will aim to secure their first league win soon as they continue working on enhancing their gameplay under Fonseca’s guidance.