Luka Modric 'hugged and said he wants to help me' - Rafael Leao eager to 'grow' and take AC Milan to next step with ex-Real Madrid star

Leao has revealed the supportive welcome he received from Modric, explaining how the midfield icon has already pledged to help him develop after the Portuguese forward's decisive brace secured a hard-fought 2-1 comeback victory over Fiorentina at San Siro.

The arrival of the former Real Madrid and Ballon d'Or winner has evidently had an immediate impact in the Milan dressing room, with Leao expressing his excitement at the prospect of linking up with the Croatian. The forward shared details of their first interaction, highlighting Modric’s proactive approach to mentoring him.

"When he arrived at Milanello, Modric gave me a hug and told me he wanted to help me," Leao stated. "Playing with these players helps you grow, I'm very happy: he'll give me lots of assists to take Milan forward." The partnership is one that Milan fans will be eager to see flourish as they aim to build on their strong start to the campaign.

Leao was the undisputed protagonist in a challenging match against Fiorentina. The visitors, despite their lowly league position, took a shock lead in the 55th minute through Robin Gosens. However, Milan’s star forward dragged his side back into the contest just eight minutes later, equalising with a stunning curling shot from outside the penalty area. The goal marked a significant personal milestone, ending a 512-day wait for a Serie A goal at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, with his last coming against Salernitana in May 2024.

He completed the turnaround in the 86th minute, calmly converting a penalty to secure all three points. His influence on the game was clear in the statistics; Leao recorded the most touches in the opposition box (six) and completed the second-most dribbles of any player on the pitch.

Reflecting on the match, Leao acknowledged the difficulty of facing a Fiorentina side desperate for points. "We knew this was going to be a tough match," he explained. "Fiorentina are going through a tough time, but they have quality players: the coach told us we couldn't give them any space... That's what we did today, a great team effort, even if the first half was a bit of a strange game. In the end, we got going."

Having recently returned from an injury that sidelined him for six weeks, Leao dedicated the performance to those who supported him. "I spent a month and a half injured: I dedicate it to my family, to my teammates who helped me and kept me in a great mood when I returned. I'm very happy. We have to continue like this."

The admiration between the two stars is mutual. Modric also spoke highly of Leao's talent and was delighted to see him return to form and fitness. "Rafa is really amazing. I was looking forward to playing with him. Unfortunately, he got injured quickly, but now he's getting back to fitness," Modric said. The veteran midfielder believes the goals will be a major boost for the forward, adding that Leao can still improve and become even more important for the team.

The victory propels AC Milan to the top of Serie A for the first time since matchday eight of the 2023-24 season. They sit on 16 points after seven matches, one clear of city rivals Inter. Despite the celebratory mood, Modric urged caution, emphasising a one-game-at-a-time approach for the long season ahead. The Rossoneri will look to solidify their position at the top when they face Pisa next weekend, following a crucial encounter against Atalanta and Roma. Leao's return to goalscoring form will be vital if they are to navigate this challenging run of fixtures successfully, as Milan will intend to win the league along with securing a spot for the Champions League next season.