AC Milan vs Lecce – News and Probable Lineups

Ending Serie A’s last matchday before the international break, AC Milan will aim to recover from a disappointing European outing as they host Lecce at San Siro this Sunday evening.

While the Rossoneri faced their inaugural competitive loss under coach Ruben Amorim in the previous match, the Salentini were celebrating a victory over Monza last weekend.

Match overview

For the second time in just four days, Milan found themselves two goals down on Wednesday, but they could not replicate their impressive comeback against Lazio from their opening Europa League match.

Having managed to secure a point in their last league encounter, which finished 2-2 at Stadio Olimpico, the Rossoneri suffered their first loss of the season against Benfica.

This defeat stung particularly for Amorim, who was facing his former club. After a promising start with back-to-back league victories, his side is now without a win in three matches across all competitions.

In context, they were close to defeating Juventus before drawing with Lazio, only to fall to a strong Benfica side, so fans of Milan might not panic just yet.

The upcoming match should offer an excellent opportunity to bounce back, as the Lombardy outfit has not been defeated by Lecce at San Siro since the turn of the century.

Indeed, Milan has claimed victory in each of their past four home encounters against this week’s opponents, with a combined score of 9-0.

The last league victory for Lecce against the Rossoneri, whether at home or away, dates back to April 2006, and they have failed to score in four of their most recent five encounters.

It’s safe to assert that history does not favor the Salentini, although their recent performance indicates that they may have a chance.

Reflecting on the end of last season’s successful struggle against relegation, Eusebio Di Françasco’s team has secured four wins from their last six Serie A fixtures.

Despite facing an early elimination in the Coppa Italia against Serie B hopefuls Palermo, they have accumulated a respectable six points this season, matching both Napoli and Atalanta.

An impressive start saw Lecce overcome likely relegation rivals Monza last week, with Lassana Coulibaly netting twice and Tiago Gabriel scoring to take a 3-1 advantage within just 21 minutes; they managed to hold on for a 3-2 victory.

The southern club exhibits slightly more difficulty away from Via del Mare, but they will have little to lose when they travel to Milan.

Team News

Amorim implemented several changes midweek, notably resting Luka Modric, but the experienced midfielder could return to Milan’s starting XI on Sunday, potentially alongside Adrien Rabiot and Mario Gila.

Aside from any concerns stemming from the clash against Benfica, the hosts should be in good health, providing their coach with numerous options to select from.

Two positions supporting lone striker Goncalo Ramos are highly contested, and Christian Pulisic is back in contention after playing the entire second half on Wednesday.

Lecce represents the American’s favored opponent in Serie A, having scored five times against them in five matches; however, he has not begun a league encounter since April.

On the other hand, the visitors must make the trip north without injured forward Willem Geubbels, while midfielders Medon Berisha and Omri Gandelman are both doubtful.

In the likely absence of the latter two, Coulibaly (who has two goals and one assist this season) and Ivan Ilic (with two assists) are expected to anchor Lecce’s midfield.

AC Milan probable starting XI:

Cousins; Gila, De Winter, Pavlovic; Chukwueze, Modric, Musah, Moreira; Rabiot, Cisse; Ramos

Lecce probable starting XI:

Falcon; Veiga, Siebert, Gabriel, Gallo; Coulibaly, Ilic, Maleh; Pierotti, Stulic, Monteiro

Milan may have to exercise patience, but they are likely to extend their dominance over Lecce with a comfortable victory at San Siro.

All seven of the Rossoneri’s goals this season have come in the final third of matches; interestingly, the sluggish-starting Salentini have conceded five of seven goals within the opening half-hour of play.