Milan will not have Zlatan Ibrahimovic for this evening’s derby against Inter, giving Rafael Leao the chance to become the star of the show.
The 23-year-old Portuguese forward has taken a clear step up in quality this year under coach Stefano Pioli, having finally found his footing in the Lombardy capital two years after his arrival. The player has scored six goals and provided four assists in 19 Serie A appearances, making the difference for the Rossoneri on a number of occasions.
As highlighted by Calciomercato.com, now it’s time for Leao to take the step up in terms of his leadership and responsibility. He needs to prove that he can be the leader on the pitch whilst also managing his fitness well enough over the full 90 minutes, rather than working too hard and dropping off in the second half.
Milan need Leao to stay focused and impress, especially during a period where they have limited options up front. If the Portuguese forward is as good as many believe, now is really the time to prove it.