In the wake of Milan’s commanding 3-0 victory over Lecce, Samuel Chukwueze’s standout performance earned him Milan’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) by the club’s devoted fans.

The Super Eagles star beat Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic to win the accolade.

However, it was Leao’s cryptic reaction on social media that ignited a storm of speculation among supporters.

The Portuguese’s winger reacted with an exhaling emoji, to the announcement of Chukwueze as MVP, triggered a flurry of comments from fans dissecting the underlying emotions behind the gesture.

While commonly interpreted as a sign of relief, the emoji’s dual connotations of disappointment or displeasure fueled conjecture about Leao’s true sentiments.

Many fans urged the Portuguese forward to celebrate his teammate’s achievement and quell any frustrations he may harbor.

Given Rafael Leao’s close friendship with Chukwueze, speculation mounted that his reaction stemmed from personal disappointment rather than animosity towards his teammate’s success.

Samuel Chukwueze, who has endured a poor start to his Milan career, has demonstrated remarkable progress in recent weeks.