SERIE A
AC Milan’s Rafael Leão is in incredible form: scored 2 goals against Lecce
The Portuguese winger, the key player in the three recent meetings with Napoli, scored a brace against Lecce in Serie A.
One of the most popular chants among Milan fans, as has been the case for a couple of years, is ‘Pioli is on fire’. It seems now, however, that we have entered a phase of the season in which the one who is ‘on fire’ is actually Rafa Leao. The Portuguese winger, after having been the key figure in the three games against Napoli, was the main player in the victory against Lecce on Sunday, which leaves Milan in 5th place on the same number of points as AS Roma.
The contest was evenly matched right from the start. After a penalty was awarded by the referee due to a clash between Baschirotto and Theo Hernández, quickly cancelled after VAR intervened, the visitors scared San Siro with a shot against the post from Banda. The chance put fire in the bellies of the Lecce players, but the underdogs got caught out when entering their most dangerous phase of the game. Milan attacked and Tonali, after a corner kick, crossed for Leão who opened the socring with a ferocious header.
Leão has 12 goals in Serie A... but no new contract
Milan managed the advantage well in the second half, controlling the ball and finishing the job in minute 74, when Leão received a pass from Brahim, skipped past Baschirotto, made his way into the area and beat Falcone with a low drive into the goal. With this, the striker, whose renewal is still up in the air, hit the figure of 12 goals in Serie A, confirming that he is back to his best, just when the team needs him most. Between the Champions League and Serie A, Milan still have a long season to go.
Serie A roundup: Monza march on as Cremonese crumble
Monza were able to come back heroically this Sunday from 0-2 down at home and put a stop to Fiorentina’s amazing 2023 with a 3-2 win: the last time that Vincenzo Italiano’s team lost was February 12 against Juventus. Also this Sunday, Udinese recovered from a losing streak of three straight games with a resounding 3-0 victory against a Cremonese team that saw them sink even further down the league table, leaving their survival challenge on the brink.
- 16 Mike Maignan
- 28 Malick Thiaw (58')
- 20 Pierre Kalulu Kyatengwa
- 23 Fikayo Tomori
- 19 Theo Hernández
- 30 Junior Messias (58')
- 8 Sandro Tonali (59')
- 33 Rade Krunic
- 17 Rafael Leao x2(78')
- 10 Brahim Diaz (77')
- 12 Ante Rebic
- Substitutes
- 11 Ibrahimovic
- 5 Fode Toure
- 83 Mirante
- 1 Tatarusanu
- 24 Kjaer (58')
- 7 Yacine Adli
- 25 Florenzi
- 56 Alexis Saelemaekers (58')
- 90 Charles De Ketelaere (77')
- 27 Divock Origi (78')
- 40 Aster Vranckx
- 14 Bakayoko
- 4 Bennacer (59')
- 46 Matteo Gabbia
- 30 Falcone
- 25 Antonino Gallo
- 93 Umtiti
- 6 Federico Baschirotto
- 17 Valentin Gendrey (78')
- 42 Morten Hjulmand
- 28 Oudin
- 29 Blin (75')
- 11 Federico Di Francesco (64')
- 77 Assan Ceesay (65')
- 22 Lameck Banda (78')
- Substitutes
- 31 Joel Voelkerling Persson (65')
- 14 Thórir Jóhann Helgason
- 27 Gabriel Strefezza (64')
- 18 Pietro Ceccaroni
- 7 Kristoffer Askildsen
- 16 Joan Gonzàlez (75')
- 4 Romagnoli (78')
- 1 Marco Bleve
- 84 Tommaso Cassandro
- 32 Youssef Maleh (78')
- 13 Alessandro Tuia
- 97 Giuseppe Pezzella
- 21 Federico Brancolini
Substitutions
Alexis Saelemaekers (58', Junior Messias), Simon Kjaer (58', Malick Thiaw), Ismaël Bennacer (59', Sandro Tonali), Gabriel Strefezza (64', Federico Di Francesco), Joel Voelkerling Persson (65', Assan Ceesay), Joan Gonzàlez (75', Alexis Blin), Charles De Ketelaere (77', Brahim Díaz), Divock Origi (78', Rafael Leão), Simone Romagnoli (78', Valentin Gendrey), Youssef Maleh (78', Lameck Banda)
Goals
1-0, 39': Rafael Leao, 2-0, 74': Rafael Leao
Cards
Referee: Daniele Chiffi
VAR Referee: Valerio Marini, Oreste Muto
Malick Thiaw (26',Yellow) Pioli (95',Yellow)