With the objective of solidifying their position in second place within the Serie A standings, AC Milan is set to host Lecce, currently positioned lower in the league hierarchy, at the San Siro stadium on Saturday afternoon.
While Lecce remains embroiled in a struggle to secure their position in the league, AC Milan’s recent performance has been notable, having achieved victory in six consecutive matches. A triumph in the forthcoming fixture would mark a significant milestone for Milan, as it would signify seven consecutive wins for the first time since the year 2006.
Match preview
In the aftermath of last month’s international break, during which Milan exhibited a promising form, the team seamlessly resumed its standard performance upon returning to action, securing a hard-fought 2-1 victory at Stadio Franchi.
The match witnessed a flurry of goals shortly after half-time, with Ruben Loftus-Cheek scoring the opener and Rafael Leao swiftly responding after Fiorentina had equalized. These goals proved decisive in clinching maximum points for Milan.
Throughout various competitions, Leao has emerged as the most prolific Serie A player in 2024, being directly involved in a total of thirteen goals – scoring seven times and providing six assists. Additionally, four players from Stefano Pioli’s squad have reached double figures for the season: Olivier Giroud (14 goals), Christian Pulisic (12 goals), Leao (11 goals), and Loftus-Cheek (10 goals).
This achievement marks the first instance since 2009 that so many Milan players have reached double-digit goal tallies in a single season. It underscores the team’s offensive prowess, positioning them favorably in the race for the second spot in the league, although the Scudetto appears destined for city rivals Inter Milan, who currently lead by a considerable margin.
Milan has demonstrated resilience particularly at San Siro, boasting a record of ten wins and only two losses from fourteen Serie A matches this season. The team has maintained an undefeated streak at home across nine matches ahead of their upcoming fixture.
In the context of their upcoming match against Lecce, Milan’s historical dominance over the opposition suggests a favorable outcome. While Lecce has struggled to score goals from open play, Milan ranks among the top teams in Serie A for goals scored in such situations.
Lecce, however, has shown signs of defensive improvement, securing clean sheets in their recent matches. This newfound solidity could prove crucial in their bid for top-flight survival, especially against Milan, as they seek to extend their streak of defensive shutouts.
Despite currently occupying the 13th position in the standings, Lecce remains within striking distance of the relegation zone, with only four points separating them from the bottom eight teams. Under the guidance of Roberto D’Aversa, the team aims to secure their Serie A status by maintaining their recent defensive resilience and capitalizing on any opportunities for points accumulation.
Team News
Stefano Pioli will be compelled to implement squad rotation for the upcoming fixture, as Ruben Loftus-Cheek incurred a yellow card during the previous week’s triumph over Fiorentina, consequently incurring a one-match suspension for the highly performing English player.
Milan demonstrates an average of 2.2 points per game with Loftus-Cheek’s participation, a statistic that diminishes to 1.5 points in his absence. However, the return of influential full-back Theo Hernandez from suspension will bolster the team, as he is set to replace Alessandro Florenzi on the left flank.
Although Pierre Kalulu remains sidelined due to injury, it is anticipated that veteran defender Simon Kjaer will be deemed fit for the match. The defensive partnership is expected to comprise Fikayo Tomori and Malick Thiaw.
In the offensive lineup, Rafael Leao is anticipated to support Olivier Giroud upfront. Notably, Leao has recorded four league goals against Lecce thus far, including a brace at San Siro during the corresponding fixture last year.
Conversely, the visiting team faces the absence of long-term injured players Kastriot Dermaku and Mohamed Kaba. Nevertheless, Roberto D’Aversa has access to a complete squad selection otherwise.
During the previous match, Nikola Krstovic and Roberto Piccoli formed the attacking duo. However, it is probable that one of them will be substituted at San Siro, with Lameck Banda, Remi Oudin, and Nicola Sansone vying for inclusion in the starting lineup.
Of notable mention, Sansone has registered six league goals against Milan, with his most recent goal scored in November. Remarkably, only Enrico Chiesa (five) has achieved a similar feat of scoring against Milan for multiple clubs in Serie A’s extensive history.
AC Milan possible starting lineup:
Maignan; Calabria, Tomori, Thiaw, Hernandez; Bennacer, Adli; Pulisic, Reijnders, Leao; Giroud
Lecce possible starting lineup:
Falcone; Gendrey, Pongracic, Baschiroto, Gallo; Almqvist, Ramadani, Blin, Dorgu; Banda, Krstovic