He has not been at peak fitness for weeks and on the pitch it is clear that he is heavily limited by discomfort in his pubic area, yet Rafael Leao still manages to make an impact for AC Milan. On Wednesday against Como he found the net again after nearly a month and a half, becoming only the second player to be involved in at least 10 goals in each of the last six Serie A seasons, since 2020 to 2021, after Lautaro Martínez. The Portuguese forward has eight goals and two assists in the league this season.
Leao is getting more and more used to playing as a center forward, a role that could allow him to score more than in the past. He knows that to be regarded as one of the very best he must improve his numbers in terms of goals and assists. “Before the start of the season I was ready for anything. When Allegri told me he wanted to play me as a center forward, I told him I was ready. In that position you can score more. In football numbers matter. If you want to be one of the best, you have to score goals and provide assists,” he told CBS Sports.
Leao's leadership signs:
This season Leao is also showing growth in another area, leadership. An example came on Wednesday after his equalizer against Como. Instead of celebrating on his own, Rafa ran straight to Mike Maignan, who had gifted the visitors a goal in the first half. It was not the first time the former Lille player had made such a gesture. It also happened in the home match in early January against Genoa, when after scoring he went to embrace Youssouf Fofana on the bench, still distraught over a glaring miss earlier in the game. These two moments highlight how Leao is becoming more and more of a leader for Milan, as relayed via Milan News.
