Rafael Leao will start for Milan against Inter tonight, but Gazzetta warns that the Portuguese ‘is not Leo Messi’, so the Rossoneri ‘must play as a unit’ to keep their hopes alive.
The Rossoneri meet city rivals Inter in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final on Tuesday.
Leao missed the first leg last week due to a muscle injury but will return to the starting XI tonight.
La Gazzetta dello Sport’s correspondent Sebastiano Vernazza, however, believes the Rossoneri star alone won’t be enough for Milan to qualify for the Istanbul Final.
“Will Milan turn it around thanks to Leao? No, if they don’t play as a team,” the journalist wrote in his column in Tuesday’s printed edition (page 8).
“One player alone can’t overturn a 2-0 loss alone unless it’s called Leo Messi, the only contemporary footballer with the license of the exceptional. The same that Pelé, Cruijff, Maradona, and a few others had in the past.
“Furthermore, Leao is returning from a muscle injury. Nothing serious, but his return has been rushed because tonight’s match is worth the access to the Final. A rare achievement, which is difficult to accomplish every season. Such a speedy recovery will expose Leao to a possible setback, so Milan are keeping their fingers crossed.
“Leao will change nothing if Milan won’t play as a unit keeping the right distance between the lines. Milan are forced to chase Inter due to the collective disconnection of the first half last week when nothing worked.
Milan must regain the harmony of movements, starting from the second half of six days ago, when they somehow reacted and created a couple of chances that would have made the return more open.”
Leao has only scored one goal in 10 Champions League games this season but has also delivered two assists, including two against Napoli in the quarter-finals.
“For this reason, he’s a striker and an attacking midfielder simultaneously,” argued Vernazza.
“Leao alone, without a regenerated Milan, won’t be able to turn it around, but without Leao Milan’s chances would be minimal.”
The Portuguese star sustained an injury in a Serie A match against Lazio earlier this month, only four days before the first leg semis against Inter.
Overall, he has scored 13 goals in 44 appearances across all competitions. His contract at San Siro expires in June 2024, but he will soon sign a new €7m-a-year deal with the Rossoneri until 2028.