Key Takeaways:
- On Sunday night, Rafael Leao suffered a calf injury during Milan’s 2-0 Coppa Italia win against Bari
- Leao is set to miss Milan’s opening Serie A fixture of the 2025-26 campaign versus Cremonese on Saturday evening
- Noah Okafor is not expected to feature as he nears a transfer to Leeds United
Blow for Milan as Leao Picks Up Calf Injury
Rafael Leao is set to miss AC Milan’s first Serie A match of the 2025-26 season following an injury sustained during the club’s 2-0 Coppa Italia victory over Bari on Sunday night, sources have told SportingPedia. Leao had given Milan the lead before being forced to withdraw with a calf problem just over two minutes later.
🚨 𝗡𝗘𝗪: Rafael Leao is suffering from a right calf muscle injury and will MISS the opening Serie A game. pic.twitter.com/qW23ZIFmPF
— The Touchline | 𝐓 (@TouchlineX) August 19, 2025
Impact on Squad for Cremonese Clash
According to Gianluca Di Marzio’s report on Tuesday, the Portuguese international has sustained a minor calf injury. Medical staff expect this setback to keep Leao out of Milan’s Serie A opener against newly-promoted Cremonese, scheduled for Saturday evening. Leao’s status will be assessed daily ahead of the second league round when Milan will travel to face Lecce.
| Player | Status for Serie A Opener | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Rafael Leao | Unavailable | Calf injury; monitoring continues |
| Noah Okafor | Unavailable | Set for transfer to Leeds United |
Attacking Options for Allegri
With Leao sidelined, manager Massimiliano Allegri will look to Christian Pulisic as a key attacking option on the flanks. Samuel Chukwueze, Alexis Saelemaekers, or Yunus Musah are potential candidates to fill the remaining wide roles against Cremonese. Meanwhile, Noah Okafor is not expected to be in contention for selection as he is currently close to finalising a move to Premier League club Leeds United.
