The Milan that leaned on Rafael Leão for seven seasons now leans on no one in particular. That is Ricardo Kaka’s reading of the squad Rúben Amorim has assembled since taking over in the summer, and it reflects both the sale of the Portugal international and the arrival of midfielders asked to run the game.

Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport in an interview published on the morning of the Derby della Madonnina and relayed by Football Italia, Kaka framed the shift as a change of philosophy, not just personnel. The former Milan playmaker singled out Luka Modrić and Adrien Rabiot as the pair setting the rhythm, Christian Pulisic as the creative intelligence and Gonçalo Ramos as the goalscorer.

“For seven years it was Leão’s Milan, a great player the club relied on a lot,” Kaka told the Italian daily. “Now it’s different. The team is a collective with new faces and two masters: Modrić is still the brain, then there’s Rabiot. And Ramos is a goalscorer.”

Leão’s exit closed a seven-year chapter

Leão’s departure to Galatasaray in August closed the chapter Kaka was describing. The Turkish champions paid €38m for the forward, with Milan retaining a 20 per cent sell-on clause. Leão left having made 291 appearances for the Rossoneri across all competitions, as noted in the club’s own farewell statement.

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Amorim took charge on 16 June after Milan had finished the previous campaign outside the Champions League places. His start was one of the strongest in the club’s recent history: seven Serie A matches unbeaten, a run that made the home defeat to Bologna earlier this month land harder.

A squad still fitting itself together

Kaka also told Football Italia’s source interview that putting the new signings together will take time, and that the Europa League should be treated as a serious competition in its own right rather than a consolation. He pointed to the loss of confidence that cost Milan a top-four finish last season, arguing the priority now is to climb back into the Champions League, which he called a different kind of competition altogether.

Of Inter, he confined himself to a short note of respect, describing them as consistent, solid and dangerous across the pitch.

Fifth place, seven behind Inter

Kaka’s words land with Milan fifth in Serie A on 18 points, seven behind Inter, with Rabiot back in contention after injury and Fikayo Tomori still unavailable. The 4-2 home loss to Bologna was Amorim’s first league defeat as Milan coach.

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Kick-off at San Siro is at 8:45pm local time, with Milan unbeaten in their last seven meetings with Inter across all competitions: five wins and two draws.

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