Rafael Leao returned from injury with the decisive moment as AC Milan earned a 1-0 win at Cagliari in Serie A. The Portuguese forward struck in the 50th minute at Unipol Domus, sending AC Milan to the top, before Inter host Bologna on Sunday.
The tight contest saw AC Milan manage the lead rather than dominate, yet Cagliari rarely posed danger after falling behind. The hosts finished with only one attempt after the break, while AC Milan protected the advantage with organised defending and controlled possession in key areas.
The winning goal came from a sharp AC Milan move early in the second half. Youssouf Fofana found Adrien Rabiot inside the penalty area, and Rabiot rolled the ball across to Rafael Leao, whose effort deflected high into the net,
leaving Boris Radunovic helpless.
Cagliari had been stronger in the opening stages before AC Milan and Rafael Leao settled. Wing-back Marco Palestra advanced repeatedly down the right and dragged one shot wide, while Michel Adopo directed a close-range header straight at Mike Maignan, wasting another promising opportunity for the home side.
AC Milan produced more threat across the 90 minutes, despite a measured tempo. They generated 0.92 expected goals from 11 shots, whereas Cagliari created 0.38 from six attempts. That attacking edge, combined with Rafael Leao’s single clinical moment, explained the narrow but deserved Serie A away success.
| Team | Shots | Expected Goals (xG) |
|---|---|---|
| AC Milan | 11 | 0.92 |
| Cagliari | 6 | 0.38 |
Ruben Loftus-Cheek had missed a good chance in the first half for AC Milan, shooting off target from a promising position. Later, Youssouf Fofana could not get a clean effort away in a crowded area, as the visitors started to control play before half-time.
Loftus-Cheek, however, made a strong overall contribution in AC Milan’s Serie A midfield, supporting Rafael Leao. The English midfielder won seven of 13 duels, including both aerial battles. Loftus-Cheek also recovered possession four times and completed 15 of 18 passes, helping AC Milan tilt territory their way.
AC Milan’s wider away record added context to Rafael Leao’s winner in this Serie A fixture. AC Milan are unbeaten on the road in the 2025-26 league season, with five wins and three draws, joining Real Betis and Bayern Munich as the only teams in Europe’s top five leagues without an away defeat.
The result continued a strong trend for AC Milan and Rafael Leao in Serie A away matches. AC Milan are undefeated in their first eight away league games of a campaign for only the second time in 20 seasons, matching the 2020-21 run under Stefano Pioli, which extended to 10 matches.
Riding the first wave of the year pic.twitter.com/SPotcLD2g8AC Milan (@acmilan) January 2, 2026
