LEÃO IS THE MVP FROM EMPOLI v AC MILAN

Scoring goals and delivering assists is a combination that Rafael Leão is used to making this season. Good things come in threes, and after Bologna - a goal and an assist for Giroud - and Inter (a brace and an assist again for Oli), Rafa again repeated the feat against Empoli: first, the pass to make it 1-0 to Rebić, and then a superb lob to beat an onrushing Vicario to seal the result 3-1.

It's no surprise, then, that the Rossoneri supporters have voted the number 17, with over 58% of the vote, as the best player on the pitch at Castellani, ahead of the two other goalscorers on the night, Fodé Ballo-Touré and Ante Rebić. The performance from the Portuguese wide man was outstanding, continuously worrying the Tuscan backline.

But it isn't only the two most important statistics that describe his devastating impact on the game: Rafa created the most chances in the game (five, including the assist to make it 1-0) and and crosses made (three, like Ballo-Touré). In this performance of substance, he also make two successful dribbling plays, two fouls conceded and four successful long passes. Leão's returning display was vital for Coach Pioli, as the Portuguese continued his great start to the season.

After three goals and five assists in their last six wins in the run-in for the title last season, the number 17 has already got four goals and four assists in seven games in the 2022/23 season, numbers that no other player has in Serie A. Only three other players in Europe's Top-5 leagues can boast about such figures: Messi, Neymar and Ouattara. Bravo Rafa!

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