The match against Fiorentina could never be an ordinary one for Rafa Leao. Regardless of how his Milan journey ends, Stefano Pioli was for a long time a sort of football father to him, the right man at the right time to help him settle in a country like Italy, which doesn't forgive players who try to approach football too lightly.
When Leao first arrived in Italy, few understood what kind of player he was. The talent was obvious, but what shape would it take? After some experiments and a season and a half alternating between the bench and the pitch, Pioli realized the player from Lille needed to feel comfortable, free to experiment and gain confidence. The easiest way was to place him on the left wing. At that moment, for the young Leao, playing wide on the left was both the most obvious and the most effective choice.
In football as in other fields of competition, such as those explored on Funky Jackpot, adaptation and timing often decide who thrives and who stalls. For Milan fans waiting for Leao’s next test on the pitch, the platform offers a chance to explore games and claim bonuses in the meantime.
Then, the years passed...
At that time, Stefano Pioli's Milan grew stagnant, but Leao didn't change his style. Fixed on the wing, his teammates gave him the ball and waited for a miracle. The result was that Pioli's project sank, and Leao, who by then should have been among the best players in the world, barely evolved.
Two years have passed since then. Fonseca tried to reshape his game, but his spell was short. Conceição went back to a more traditional use of him, without much trust. That brings us to this season, under Allegri, who made it clear from the start that he wanted to turn Leao into a central, decisive player.
Against Juventus, in his Serie A debut this season, Leao struggled with back-to-goal receptions and couldn't roam much, especially since his partner was Nkunku, not a real striker. But against Fiorentina, things changed, and not only because of the two goals.
Even in the first half, where the context resembled the Juventus match, his contribution was decent, though without bursts. Milan-Fiorentina wasn't a lively match, especially in the first forty-five minutes, where Pavlović's header was the only real chance, from a set piece.
The play lacked rhythm, but Leao's growing comfort in his new role showed through simple actions. Again forced to receive the ball with his back to goal and with limited movement as the lone forward, he still managed to keep play flowing, reliable when holding off his marker and playing quick one-touch passes.
Nothing extraordinary, but playing cleanly under pressure is the foundation of any true striker. Leao might never excel in this aspect, yet the balls he lost didn't come in those situations. It seems minor, but it matters, considering he's still learning those central areas and had struggled there against Juventus.
Things shifted once the Mexican came on. That's when Leao raised his level, turning from anonymous to decisive with a brace. With Giménez as the striker, the Portuguese star could drop deeper more often, and the match's flow demanded it.
At the 55th minute, Fiorentina went ahead from a corner, forcing Allegri's side to take control. With Giménez up front and Milan chasing, Leao began dropping to influence the attack. He succeeded, scoring the equalizer with one of the few accurate low shots from distance in his career, struck in an odd, almost kneeling motion. Physically, Leao is unique, generating power and accuracy with minimal effort.
Moments earlier, in the same spot, Pongračić had fouled him and exchanged words, adding the spark that seemed to fuel him.
Dropping deeper allowed Leao to shake off his marker, turn, and face goal, opening passing options and, in the best cases, finding shots like the 1-1 goal.
A few times he also attempted the play he likes most: finding a teammate between the lines, then moving forward for the return pass. It's the kind of move true number tens used to make, free to take the ball wherever they wanted. From deeper positions, Leao can speed up play, link up with teammates, and slip through defenses. It happened briefly under Fonseca, and there's hope to see more this season. Yesterday, though, his partners (Fofana in the first half and Ricci in the second) didn't respond well.
Still, we got a glimpse of what Leao might offer in a more central role, at the heart of play. There are potential benefits for teammates too. In Milan's most dangerous and perhaps most beautiful second-half move, Leao didn't touch the ball, yet his central positioning and movement created the chance.
On a right-side build-up against Fiorentina's high block, Leao dropped into midfield, dragging Pongračić out and leaving a gap behind. When Modrić switched play to Pavlović on the left, Ricci ran into that empty space. Bartesaghi's cross reached Giménez, who was denied only by a stunning De Gea save.
The point is the threat Leao creates by presence alone. If he drops deep, you either let him turn and risk him attacking the defense, or you follow him and open space behind. Fiorentina faced this exact dilemma. De Gea's save delayed defeat only briefly, as five minutes later came the move leading to the 2–1 penalty.
Beyond the referee's decision, Daniele Manusia once wrote why we rarely discuss those, the key was Leao's brilliant backheel to release Ricci at the edge of the box. Ricci's cross then drew Parisi's foul on Giménez.
In the first half, Leao had already done something similar, in another area. Receiving between the lines, back to goal, he controlled the ball with his weaker left foot, turned, and spread play to Bartesaghi. This, too, is new for him. Even on the wing, his first touches often broke rhythm. Playing centrally forces him to approach the ball differently, since space is tight and precision is vital. These new receptions push him to attempt plays like those backheels, flashes of instinct that need the right setting.
In the action leading to the penalty, he read the game well, first timing his run into the box behind Pongračić, then cutting in front to offer a passing lane to Bartesaghi.
Leao's evolution will be one of the main storylines this season. No one knows how it will end, but all the conditions are there for success. Allegri will need to make bold choices. Leao's freedom depends on having a striker like Giménez beside him. What, then, about Nkunku and especially Pulisic, who also thrive next to someone fixing defenders? Can Milan sustain an attack without a true forward, or will Giménez serve as a decoy despite limited contribution elsewhere? Not every opponent will be as fragile as this struggling Fiorentina side.
As the squad regains full fitness and the matches pile up, we'll get a clearer answer.
