Rafael Leao didn’t only inspire Milan‘s first qualification for the Champions League semis in 16 years but single-handedly destroyed Napoli‘s defence in the last three meetings, including two at the Stadio Maradona, and made it look easy, writes Lorenzo Bettoni.
The most impressive thing about Leao’s solo run that led to Olivier Giroud’s opener in Naples on Tuesday was that the Portuguese star made it look incredibly simple. He collected the ball in his own half, sprinted past Tanguy Ndombele, outran Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Amir Rrahmani and passed it to the French striker for one of the easiest goals of his career.
By looking at it from the outside, one would think that Leao didn’t even need to strive to reach his top speed. That’s, at least, what his body language suggests. He ran with his head held high, he was composed and even had time to smile every time he dribbled past an opponent! The Serie A derby in the Champions League quarter-finals between his Milan side and Napoli had been presented as the ultimate showdown between two of the most exciting players in the league: Rafa and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Well, the Portuguese ace absolutely dominated the duel.
Milan won two of the last three meetings with Napoli played over the last 18 days, scoring six goals and conceding once. Leao scored twice in the Rossoneri’s 4-0 win at the Stadio Maradona on April 2, their only victory in Serie A in two months and perhaps the game where Rafa and his teammates learned that eliminating Napoli from the Champions League was not an impossible task, despite their league domination.
It’s true that Stefano Pioli’s tactics over the two Champions League legs against Napoli were perfectly shaped around Leao. Sit-back and counter-attack, although, at times, the Rossoneri pressed their opponents in their own half like in the old times.
Leao was the perfect man to put into practice Pioli’s plan. The striker destroyed Napoli’s defence twice at the Stadio Maradona and once at San Siro, last week, when the Rossoneri secured a 1-0 win thanks to an Ismael Bennacer goal, assisted by Rafa.
The 23-year-old had shaken the Partenopei after their 30 minutes of domination in Milan last week. He collected the ball in his own half and squeezed past two Napoli players, but his side-footed shot was inches wide. It was like a premonition. He repeated the same at the Stadio Maradona on Tuesday, but this time, Giroud was alone inside the box, waiting to put the ball inside an empty net.
The lightness with which Leao is able to carry the team onto his shoulders is probably what causes mixed feelings for Milan fans. The Portuguese can keep the best Serie A defence busy for three matches and even make it look easy, but would sometimes struggle to perform against the so-called ‘smaller’ teams. It may have to do with motivation, but if Leao fixes his inconsistency, he will surely become Ballon d’Or material for the next decade.
He played a significant role in Milan’s first Serie A title in over ten years in 2021-22 and then in their first qualification to the Champions League semis in 16 years. This past February, Leao was asked whether Serie A was too easy for him. He replied smiling: “Yes, it looks like.” After witnessing such incredible performances on the European stage, it’s difficult to argue.
Nevertheless, most Rossoneri fans hope the 23-year-old will complete his development at San Siro by extending his contract beyond 2024 and remaining at the club for a few more years. Milan are among the best four clubs in Europe for 2022-23 mainly thanks to Rafa, who didn’t even seem to sweat while terrifying Napoli’s defence.
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