Rafael Leao Ruled Out Of Serie A Opener With Calf Injury

Rafael Leao will miss Milan’s opening Serie A fixture this weekend after sustaining a calf injury against Bari on August 17. 

Leao encountered the problem with his right leg after scoring the opener in the eventual 2-0 Coppa Italia victory against the second tier side.

The Portuguese international was subbed out for Santiago Gimenez with less than 20 minutes on the clock. Physios treated Leao on the sideline before the 26-year-old had tests carried out on August 19.

Rafael Leao Ruled Out Of Cremonese Clash

On Monday, the latest Rafael Leao injury update didn’t bode well for the Milan star. Although an official diagnosis hadn’t been provided at that stage, it always seemed likely the Cremonese game would come too soon.

And those initial fears have now been confirmed. Leao will definitely sit out the opener at the San Siro. It’s likely that Santiago Gimenez will fill the void against the newly-promoted side.

Failing that, one of Samuel Chukwueze, Alexis Saelemaekers or Yunus Musah will play out wide. That would leave USMNT star Christian Pulisic as the main attacking threat.

How Many Games Will Rafael Leao Miss?

With his absence already confirmed for this weekend, it’s unclear exactly how many games Rafael Leao could miss. Milan takes on Lecce on MD2 but that game may come too soon for Leao.

In fact, the Rossoneri will monitor the 26-year-old’s recovery on a daily basis. Head coach Max Allegri won’t rush Leao back so the Bologna game in mid-September is a more realistic fixture to feature in.

Vincenzo Italiano’s side are the current Coppa Italia holders having beaten Milan in last season’s final. If Leao is back in time, he and his team-mates will be gunning for revenge.

How Many Goals Has Rafael Leao Scored For Milan?

Rafael Leao’s injury update will come as a blow to Milan as he is by far one of their biggest stars. Leao’s exertions on the field for the Italian giants have seen a number of European powerhouses linked with his services.

Since joining the Rossoneri from Lille in 2019-20, Leao has scored a total of 71 goals in 261 appearances across all competitions. The 26-year-old forward has also chipped in with 62 assists.

His steady and spectacular rise to one of the continent’s finest has seen the likes of Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Manchester City and Tottenham all linked with him this summer.

However, Leao will be staying at the San Siro for the time being and will be vital to helping Milan achieve European soccer in 2026-27.