AC Milan will visit Lecce in the Serie A after their crucial win over PSG in the Champions League. Milan has struggled recently in Serie A and had a slow start to the Champions League. Their victory against Paris Saint-Germain midweek will erase memories of a four-match losing streak. Their hosts, on the other hand, have not triumphed since September.
Preview (Lecce vs. AC Milan)
Following a 3-0 loss in France two weeks prior, and five Champions League games without a single goal scored, seven-time European champions Milan completely turned the tables on Tuesday night, defeating Paris Saint-Germain at San Siro to maintain their hopes of qualifying from Group H. The goals from Rafael Leao and Olivier Giroud have put the Rossoneri within one point of the top two in the ‘Group of Death’ this season. After the international break, the team will play Newcastle United and Borussia Dortmund in vital matches. Milan has, however, fallen six points behind Inter, their bitter rivals, at the top of Serie A.
They have had numerous struggles to defeat Milan at home or away in the Italian top division. Lecce has only lost three of their previous 12 encounters at Stadio Via del Mare. On Saturday afternoon, Salento will be hoping that current coach Roberto D’Aversa’s team does well. After a strong start to the 2023–24 season, the team has hit a rough patch and is gradually dropping. After suffering a heartbreaking loss to Roma in their most recent game, Lecce plummeted to 13th place. Despite winning 11 points from their first five games, they have only managed to win two of their next six.
The Salentini were headed for victory at Stadio Olimpico last Sunday, shortly after losing the Coppa Italia to Serie B leaders Parma, 4-2, after conceding twice in second-half stoppage time. Wadermi Falcone had saved Romello Lukaku’s early penalty, and Pontus Almqvist had given them the lead in the 72nd minute. They lost 2-1 to their fellow Giallorossi, though, after conceding two more goals in extra time. Lukaku delivered the game-ending blow, and this weekend will be another difficult test.
Team News
For Milan’s last game before the international break, Stefano Pioli might make a few changes. Their first-choice forward Christian Pulisic is probably out due to injury. He missed the match against PSG and the loss to Udinese. Samu Chukweueze and veteran defender Simon Kjaer are both dealing with physical issues. Pulisic should be replaced in the attacking lineup. The Nigerian forward would line up in front of the Rossoneri at Via del Mare alongside Rafael Leao, who leads all Serie A teams in goals scored against Lecce with four in four games, including a brace in April. The absence of Pierre Kalulu and Marco Pellegrino in addition to Kjaer limits Pioli’s defensive options.
While Swedish winger Pontus Almqvist is expected to miss this week’s match due to a thigh injury, Lecce’s top scorer, center-back Kastriot Dermarku, is expected to return from a lengthy absence and start on the bench. Gabriel Strefezza and Lambeck Banda are the favorites to start in support of center-forward Nikola Krstovic in Almqvist’s anticipated absence, but Nicola Sansone, who has five league goals versus Milan in the past, is also a contender. Ylber Ramadani, who plays in Salentini’s three-man midfield, has been linked to a move to Milan’s city rivals Inter during the upcoming transfer season.
Lecce 1 – 2 AC Milan
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