AC Milan will be looking to build on their big midweek win in the Champions League when they take on Lecce at the Stadio Via del Mare on Saturday afternoon.
After four games without a win, Milan got three much-needed points against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday night in front of a packed San Siro to reignite their hopes in Europe, providing a big boost to spirits after a difficult period.
However, the challenge now is to transfer that positive energy into league form and to try and get the Scudetto challenge back on course, especially given the last Serie A game was a 1-0 home loss to Udinese.
Game date: Saturday, November 11
Kick-off time: 15:00 (CET)
Venue: Stadio Via del Mare
Referee: Rosario Abisso (VAR: Guida)
Team news
After the big victory in the Champions League against PSG, Milan must return to winning in the league, and Pioli is expected to field near enough of the same line-up that beat the French side.
In terms of absentees, the Rossoneri coach will not be able to call upon Marco Sportiello, Pierre Kalulu, Marco Pellegrino, Mattia Caldara, and Ismael Bennacer, all of whom are recovering from long-term issues.
In addition to those five, Simon Kjaer and Christian Pulisic are not expected to take part in the game in Apulia because they have muscle issues that mean using them would be a risk. Pulisic was not called up by the USA either.
Regarding the team news, Pioli is expected to field a 4-2-3-1 system like his did against PSG, the formation that is known from the Scudetto-winning campaign of 2021–22.
According to the latest from MilanNews, the back four in front of Mike Maignan will be Davide Calabria, Malick Thiaw, Fikayo Tomori, and Theo Hernandez, so the same as midweek.
Rade Krunic and Tijjani Reijnders are down as the double pivot, with Ruben Loftus-Cheek taking up a more advanced role as he did so well a few nights ago. It is possible Yunus Musah could keep his place, though, which would put Krunic on the bench.
The only definite change will be in attack, where there will be no Pulisic, meaning Samuel Chukwueze should start in his place from the first minute. Rafael Leao will be on the other flank, with Olivier Giroud as the center forward.
Probable Milan XI (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Calabria, Thiaw, Tomori, Theo Hernández; Krunić, Reijnders; Chukwueze, Loftus-Cheek, Leão; Giroud.
Team News
While Stefano Pioli may keep changes to a minimum for Milan’s final fixture before the international break, first-choice forward Christian Pulisic is likely to miss Saturday’s game, having sat out the loss to Udinese and then been forced off in the final minutes against PSG.
Both Pulisic and veteran defender Simon Kjaer are struggling with muscular problems, so Samu Chukweueze should replace the former in attack.
The Nigerian striker would join Rafael Leao as part of the Rossoneri’s front three at Via del Mare, and the latter has scored more goals against Lecce than any other Serie A side: four in four matches, including a brace back in April.
In addition to Kjaer, Marco Pellegrino and Pierre Kalulu are unavailable, narrowing Pioli’s defensive options somewhat, and back-up goalkeeper Marco Sportiello also remains sidelined.
Lecce, meanwhile, are set to be without last week’s goalscorer, as Swedish winger Pontus Almqvist has picked up a thigh injury; center-back Kastriot Dermarku is back in action after a long layoff, though, and should take a place on the bench.
In Almqvist’s likely absence, Gabriel Strefezza and Lameck Banda are favorites to start in support of center-forward Nikola Krstovic, but Nicola Sansone, who has scored five league goals against Milan in the past, is also a contender.
Recently linked with a switch to Milan’s city rivals Inter during the next transfer window, Ylber Ramadani runs Salentini’s three-man midfield.
Lecce possible starting lineup:
Falcone; Gendrey, Baschirotto, Pongracic, Gallo; Kaba, Ramadani, Rafia; Strefezza, Krstovic, Banda
AC Milan possible starting lineup:
Maignan; Calabria, Tomori, Thiaw, Hernandez; Loftus-Cheek, Krunic, Reijnders; Chukwueze, Giroud, Leao
The opponents
Lecce preserved their top flight status after a rollercoaster 2022–23 season, and it was thanks to Milan-owned striker Lorenzo Colombo that they did, as he scored the winning penalty away at Monza to seal their survival.
The Giallorossi finished five points above the dotted line in the end, but it was clear that some reinforcements were needed to help the newly-installed coach, Roberto D’Aversa.
Youssef Musah, Wladimiro Falcone, Nikola Krstovic, Mohamed Kaba, Marin Pongracic, Ilber Ramadani, Remi Oudin, and Giacomo Faticanti were among the players that they paid a seven-figure sum for (as per Transfermarkt).
Lecce started the season brilliantly and found themselves third after five games following wins over Lazio, Salernitana, and Genoa, but they haven’t won since.
Defeats against Juventus, Napoli, Torino, and Roma have sparked a slide into the bottom half, while they were knocked out of the Coppa Italia after a 4-2 loss to Serie B side Parma on November 1.
D’Aversa has two injuries that affect what would probably be his first-choice starting lineup, with Pontus Almqvist the latest absentee after he suffered a hamstring injury last weekend against AS Roma. Jeppe Corfitzen is the other player who will miss the game with a shoulder injury.
Lecce are likely to match Milan up by naming a back four with three midfielders and three forwards. Wladimiro Falcone will be in goal, with Federico Baschirotto, Marin Pongracic, Antonino Gallo, and Valentin Gendrey at the back.
Ylber Ramadani should sit at the base of the midfield, while Mohamed Kaba and Hamza Rafia will be the box-to-box players. Nikola Krstovic is the center-forward, with Lameck Banda and captain Gabriel Strefezza out wide.
Probable Lecce XI (4-3-3): Falcone; Gendrey; Baschirotto; Pongracic; Gallo; Kaba; Ramadani; Rafia; Strefezza; Krstovic; Banda.
Head-to-head
Milan have played against Lecce 41 times in their history across all competitions, winning 25 of those with 14 draws and just two defeats, resulting in a 61% win rate.
The first meeting between the sides was back in August 1978 at the Coppa Italia, back when there were group stages. Gianni Rivera and Alberto Bigon (two goals) netted in a 3-2 win for Nils Liedholm’s men.
Last season’s game at the Via del Mare was anything but straightforward. Pioli’s side found themselves 2-0 down early on and needed second-half goals from Leao and Calabria to rescue a draw.
The Rossoneri did win the reverse fixture 2-0 with Leao netting a brace, and their last defeat against Lecce was a 1-0 loss back in April 2006.
We say: Lecce 1-2 AC Milan
Lecce’s downward spiral could continue this weekend, as Milan are on a high from their Champions League heroics and have a point to prove in Serie A. While the hosts are far harder to beat on home soil, they rarely score more than once and will also be vulnerable to the Rossoneri’s varied attack.
