Luka Modric pushed Fazzini aside, outmuscled Fagioli, and sprinted back to recover the ball from Nicolussi Caviglia.

San Siro erupted as if Milan had scored a goal, not simply won back possession.

The Modric effect was tangible, the roar greeting his tackles was immense. Two days ago, Luka won duels against players at least fifteen years younger, not because of superior technique, but because he ran harder, faster, and with more conviction.

The assist to Rafael Leao:

After the match, Luka stayed on the pitch for interviews. When he returned to the dressing room, special hugs awaited him. Allegri, Ibrahimovic, teammates, and the directors had waited for him. On the pitch, Gabbia had lifted him in celebration, while young Bartesaghi watched in admiration. The evening continued at San Siro, where Luka dined in a team room near the locker room, eating a hot meal prepared by Milanello’s chefs. This is how Luka leads by example. His younger teammates think: if he works this hard at forty, how could we not follow? When he leads through actions, his words carry even more weight. He is not talkative, as Ibra himself said, which makes what he says matter even more.

Leao should take note:

"Rafa is amazing, and I had been waiting to play with him. Unfortunately, he got injured early, but now he’s back, and this is the Rafa we need. An extraordinary talent, one of the best in the world, and he can still improve. It’s up to him, and I hope his last two goals help him gain more confidence. He is crucial for us."

Rafa now seems more confident. His first goal came from outside the box, rare for him, and the second was a penalty, the first of his career scored within 90 minutes.

Speaking of that penalty: during the referee-VAR review, there was debate about who would take it. Max raised his voice: "Leao takes it." Fofana, who had been holding the ball under his arm, stepped aside without complaint and later joined the celebrations enthusiastically. It was another sign of a united squad that puts the team above the individual. Rafa later joked online, posting a photo of Gabbia holding down his shirt to stop him from taking it off after scoring, the strip would have earned a yellow card. The team protects their Portuguese winger.

Everyone is part of the group, starters and first substitutes alike. After the last win, Ricci celebrated on social media: "The kind of nights we love." Every player feels involved and responsible.

Modric works hard for Milan:

That unity made the latest win possible, despite missing Pulisic, Rabiot, Nkunku, Estupiñán, Loftus-Cheek, and Jashari, a list of absentees longer than the available bench options. Being a team means sticking together under pressure. The group must hold firm for the next games too. The only potential returns this week are Loftus-Cheek and Nkunku. So once again, it’s Luka, the tireless Modric doing overtime on the pitch, as pointed out by those at La Gazzetta dello Sport in this morning's print edition. Against Fiorentina, he played his 12th match of the season, reaching 847 total minutes. Another ninety plus stoppage time of hard running, with no rest ahead.

Milan return to San Siro on Friday to face Pisa.

Resting him is not an option given the lack of midfielders. No backup holding midfielder was even on the bench Sunday night. Loftus-Cheek’s recovery would help but would not take minutes from Luka. And it doesn’t stop there. On Tuesday the 28th, Milan and Serie A resume again, with barely any time to recover energy. The Rossoneri will visit Atalanta in Bergamo, and leaving Modric out is unthinkable. It will be a Croatian duel: Luka against Pasalic. The former Milan player, now 30 and at Atalanta since 2018, has experience, but to match Modric, he would need to keep running for another ten years.