Mansion Sports – A thrilling Serie A encounter between AC Milan and ACF Fiorentina delivered high drama and memorable moments. 

Rafael Leão emerged as the undisputed hero of the night, scoring twice to inspire a comeback victory after the visitors had taken the lead through Robin Gosens. The result propelled Milan to the top of the Serie A standings.

Despite facing a significant injury crisis, the Rossoneri displayed remarkable resilience and efficiency in decisive moments, turning a difficult situation into a statement win in front of their home crowd.

Milan’s Fighting Spirit Amid an Injury Crisis

Milan was forced to field a depleted lineup due to the absence of several key players, including Adrien Rabiot, Christian Pulisic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Christopher Nkunku, Pervis Estupiñán, and Ardon Jashari.

The injury situation required Rafael Leão and Alexis Saelemaekers to make an early return from muscular problems to start the match. Zachary Athekame and Samuele Ricci were also entrusted with crucial midfield responsibilities.

On the Fiorentina side, early-season struggles have placed additional scrutiny on head coach Stefano Pioli, a former Milan manager. 

Tariq Lamptey, Amir Richardson, and Christian Kouamé were unavailable, but Moise Kean returned from an ankle injury just in time to feature.

Nervous Opening Minutes Set the Tone

The match began with tense exchanges and early opportunities. Milan threatened through Fikayo Tomori and Strahinja Pavlović, though their efforts flew over the bar.

Rafael Leão came close to opening the scoring when he met a cross from Athekame at the far post but failed to convert. 

Milan’s goalkeeper Mike Maignan displayed composure under pressure, dribbling past Kean during a high press, while Hans Nicolussi Caviglia of Fiorentina saw his long-range effort fly wide in the 52nd minute.

Fiorentina’s Opener and Leão’s Rapid Response

Fiorentina broke the deadlock through a set-piece situation. A header from Luca Ranieri was poorly dealt with by Maignan, rebounding off Matteo Gabbia before being tapped in from close range by Robin Gosens.

Milan responded swiftly. Leão produced a brilliant individual moment, cutting in from the left, gliding past Rolando Mandragora, and curling a shot into the bottom-right corner from 23 meters, leaving David de Gea rooted to the spot.

This equalizer came while Ranieri was receiving treatment for a nosebleed, temporarily reducing Fiorentina to 10 men on the pitch.

Goalkeeping Heroics and Late Drama

Fiorentina pushed for a second goal through Youssouf Fofana and Dodô, but Milan carved out the best chance late in the match. 

De Gea produced a spectacular save to deny Santiago Giménez’s thunderous volley after a precise cross from Davide Bartesaghi.

In the dying minutes, Giménez went down in the box clutching his face, prompting a VAR review. 

The referee awarded Milan a penalty, ruling that Fabiano Parisi had pulled the striker’s shoulder during the aerial challenge.

Leão the Match-Winner

Leão calmly stepped up to the spot and slotted the ball into the bottom corner, recording his first brace since November 2024. 

His decisive contribution sealed Milan’s victory and solidified their position at the top of the Serie A table.

His triumphant return from injury provided a major boost for the Rossoneri’s title ambitions, with the electrifying atmosphere at San Siro amplifying the moment. 

The performance reaffirmed Leão’s status as a talismanic figure and offered Milan fans renewed optimism in the race for domestic glory.