AC Milan megastar Rafael Leao made a partial return to training today ahead of tTuesday’s Milan derby clash with Inter Milan in the semifinals of the Champions League.
This according to Italian broadcaster Sky Sport Italia, via FCInterNews, who report that the 23-year-old Portuguese international forward completed part of a training session with his teammates this morning.
Rafael Leao’s fitness could be all-important in deciding the outcome of the Milan derby Champions League tie.
The 23-year-old had missed out on the first leg of the tie on Wednesday. An adductor injury picked up in a league match against Lazio meant Leao wasn’t even able to make the bench.
Leao also missed the Rossoneri’s Serie A match away to Spezia yesterday, a shock 0-2 loss.
However, Milan coach Stefano Pioli has stated that he expects Leao to be fit for Tuesday’s match.
Having the Portuguese back could well prove decisive for the Rossoneri.
During the first leg, Milan felt their superstar forward’s absence. Even in their stronger second half, the Rossoneri struggled to break down Inter’s defense.
The Nerazzurri could have a much tougher task on their hands if Leao is back, however. The 23-year-old’s pace and technical ability can wreak havoc on any defense, as he was also decisive against Napoli in the quarterfinals.
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According to Sky, Leao was able to return to training today as his coach Pioli had predicted. The forward was not able to complete the entire session.
However, for a good part of today’s training, Sky reports that Leao worked with the rest of his teammates.
Meanwhile, Rade Krunic and Junior Messias trained separately from the group as they recover from injuries.
In an interesting quirk of fate, Inter CEO Beppe Marotta has admitted that the Nerazzurri were close to signing Leao from Lille in 2019, before he ultimately joined their city rivals Milan.