Davide Bartesaghi has said he hopes Rafael Leão stays at Milan and described a squad that already looks more aggressive under Ruben Amorim after the pre-season draw with Inter in Perth.
The friendly against Inter followed the same pattern as the opener against Celtic in Glasgow: bright spells mixed with lulls. Federico Dimarco put Inter ahead with a tap-in early in the second half, before Christopher Nkunku won and converted a penalty inside the final 10 minutes to level it. Milan started well and finished strong, the kind of bookends Amorim will have wanted to see as he reshapes the side.
Speaking to Sky after the match, Bartesaghi was upbeat about the performance and the direction of travel. "I think we played a good match. The important thing is to try to implement what the manager asks of us: these friendlies are useful for trying out new things," he said.
He was clear that Amorim's imprint is already visible, even at this early stage. "We've changed a few things from last year and it shows, but we're still just starting out. We're more aggressive, and then we'll see how things go during the season."
The line that will draw most attention concerned the player he found lining up against him on the wing. Asked whether he had expected to face Leão, Bartesaghi did not hide where he stands. "I love Rafa, I hope he stays here. For his own good, I hope he stays at Milan."
That endorsement from a young full-back carries a note of the uncertainty that has hung over Leão this summer, with his long-term future a recurring talking point rather than a settled one.
For a squad still learning Amorim's demands, keeping its most dangerous attacker would remove one of the bigger questions before the season starts, and on that front the answer rests with the club and Leão himself.