Strahinja Pavlovic’s name appears on the scoresheet, but most of the credit for Milan’s winning goal against Roma yesterday goes without doubt to Rafael Leao, whose acceleration split the Giallorossi defense in two, making it easy for the Serbian defender to score from close range. After a poor performance against Atalanta, heavily affected by a hip inflammation that prevented him from sprinting freely, the Portuguese forward returned to flying on the pitch.
Leao's promise to Tare:
Leao proved to be a man of his word, fulfilling a promise revealed by sporting director Igli Tare before the match: "I find Leao a very decent guy. From the outside people have an idea, but on the inside it’s completely different. We talked a lot this week. When he’s in form, he can win games on his own. I’m confident he will play a great match tonight because he promised us (laughs)." Rafa fully delivered. Even though he’s not yet at 100%, his speed can trouble anyone, writes Milan News.
What about Leao's attitude and role vs Roma?
Recently, Max Allegri highlighted Leao’s attitude, showing a level of sacrifice perhaps never seen before. Yesterday against Roma he fought, pressed, and helped defensively: "I work for the team. Matches like these are extremely tough. It’s not about one player’s talent, you must never give up," the Milan No. 10 said after the match. His role has been a recurring topic this season, but Rafa is clear and always puts the team first: "I’m at the team’s disposal. Striker, center-forward, attacking midfielder, winger. The important thing is to serve the coach. Today I was fortunate to help the team; the points were what mattered."
