Two assists and an almost stolen goal: Leao is decisive even when he doesn’t score

If the smile is missing, which is his trademark and an entire philosophy of life, then the matter is serious. Rafa Leao watches the ball enter the Czech goal for the fourth time – the most important – and remains impassive. A more or less imperturbable mask, even when all his companions let themselves go at a liberation party. Because there were five minutes left until the ninetieth minute and it’s one thing to show up in the bedlam of the Eden Arena with a two-goal advantage, it’s another to do it with one. Perhaps Rafa at that moment rewound the tape of a foolish match, retraced a match where no one – no, not even him – particularly shone, and perhaps in those moments he asked himself why. On the other hand, the foundations for doing well – that is, for doing better – were all there. Vital success over Lazio in the championship, six days off, empty infirmary. So why is this Milan so discontinuous and unpredictable, for better or for worse?

cue

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Leao – but not only him – asks this and the answer is decidedly complicated. Meanwhile, if Milan will have the chance to manage a two-goal lead in a week’s time it is above all thanks to him. A man of the cup rather than the championship, one might say, even if these are considerations that Pioli does not agree with. However, in short, the Rossoneri’s Europa League began heavily in his footsteps. A goal against Rennes in the first leg, one in the return and a deep impression in the first round against Slavia. In the first half the soft and delicious cross for Giroud’s winning header: Rafa dishes out countless balls in the middle every game, but this was sought after, wanted and well executed. Just to push in. In the second half – or rather, in the last breaths of the second half – he understood perfectly that only an individual inspiration could have improved the result. And then he started his own business, as he knows how to do. Without exaggerating, without overdoing it. He aimed at Vlcek, jumped him like a post on the ski slope and placed a dive towards the goal which Pulisic pounced on, which he missed just enough.

magic word

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Rafa opened and closed the match in his own way, assisting his teammates, even if he has a missed goal on his conscience which could have better directed the outcome of the match. The second half had just begun and Milan were flying on the wings of a certified three to one at the end of the first half, when the Portuguese ran away from his side and finished just wide from a rather favorable position. In the middle, free, there were two companions. These are those situations where if you decide to shoot, you have to be sure you’re going to hole. He made amends later and on the other hand the action of the fourth goal contains the magic word that Pioli had spelled out the day before: quality. The one with which he petrified Vlcek and the one with which he overtook Stanek in a desperate exit. Ultimately, Pioli shouldn’t be angry if Leao is defined as a cup man this year: for the objectives that Milan have set themselves, that’s perfectly fine.