Serie A Preview: Milan vs Lecce – Team News, Lineups & Prediction

Serie A Preview: Milan vs Lecce – Team News, Lineups & Prediction

After a disappointing Europa League performance, Milan will face Serie A minnows Lecce at San Siro in an effort to escape their current crisis. With the September international break looming, Ruben Amorim's side must avoid another slip-up to maintain momentum.

Though Milan has played all four of their Serie A matches at home this season and sits atop the table with two wins and two draws, they have struggled away from home, dropping two points in their last two league matches. A last-gasp equalizer from Juventus secured a 1-1 draw for Milan against Torino, while Diego Moreira's second-half brace helped them earn a point against Lazio in a 2-2 stalemate.

However, Amorim suffered his first competitive loss with Milan in charge when Benfica defeated the Rossoneri 2-0 at the same venue. Milan's Europa League start was far from perfect, but they are strong favorites to bounce back with a victory against Lecce.

Lecce bounced back from two league defeats with a 3-2 home win over newly promoted Monza, making it their second win of the season. It has been nearly three decades since Lecce last managed an away win against Milan, in October 1997. Since April 2006, Milan has won five of their last six Serie A meetings with Lecce, so the Rossoneri could be looking for a sixth consecutive victory.

Winless in their last three competitive games, Milan are at risk of drawing three successive Serie A matches for the first time since September 2018. Nevertheless, they have been unbeaten in their last five home league matches against Lecce, including a 1-0 win last season. The hosts have lost four of their last six home games, so Lecce may have a chance to secure their first back-to-back league victories since the 2020-21 season.

For Milan, Nicolas Füllkrug's late winner against Lazio demonstrated that the team can perform at their best when it matters most. Moreira, who scored his second Serie A goal of the season last time out, could start in place of Pervis Estupinan, while Christian Pulisic and Alphadjo Cisse will face each other again in midfield behind Gonçalo Ramos.

Lecce will be without injured center-forward Willem Geubbels, with Nikola Stulic starting in his place. Ivan Ilic, who provided two assists against Monza, is likely to start alongside Medon Berisha and Omri Gandelman, both of whom missed the Monza match through injury.

Milan's starting lineup is expected to feature Maignan in goal, with Gila, De Winter, and Pavlovic in defense, Modric and Rabiot in midfield, and Moreira, Pulisic, and Ramos up front. Lecce's lineup is likely to include Falcone in goal, with Veiga, Siebert, Gabriel, Gallo, Coulibaly, Ilic, Maleh, Pierotti, Stulic, and Monteiro in defense and attack.