Rafael Leao may not have scored, but the Milan winger was praised for his inventiveness after coming alive in the Europa League win over Slavia Praha.
Despite securing a 4-2 win over their Czech opponents in the first leg of their Europa League Round of 16 clash, the Rossoneri struggled to truly impress at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, looking defensively vulnerable despite having a man-advantage for the majority of the game.
Oliver Giroud, Tijjani Reijnders, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Christian Pulisic all got themselves on the scoresheet for Milan across the 90 minutes, but an unsung hero of the match was Leao, who provided two key assists to help his side pick up an important victory on the European stage.
La Gazzetta dello Sport suggested that Leao was a key reason for Milan’s win over Slavia Praha, even if he struggled to make a consistent impact across the 90 minutes, writing: “Thesis: how to decide a Round of 16 without a goal. Wasteful, he got active here and there, but his peaks are like Everest.”
Corriere dello Sport were a little more impressed than their Milanese counterparts, touching on his inventiveness, commenting: “He started quietly, almost listlessly, then he lit up and drew the joker for Giroud’s opener. In the second half he invented for Pulisic’s 4-2.”
Tuttosport didn’t disagree with their counterparts, impressed with his ability to be provider for his teammates, saying: “For over half an hour he was absent from the game, but as soon as the ball arrived he assisted Giroud and when he lit up again he made a crazy move for the final goal.”
Leao ratings in the Italian newspapers
La Gazzetta dello Sport: 6.5
Corriere dello Sport: 7
Tuttosport: 7