Within the twenty eighth spherical of Serie A motion, AC Milan are up towards Lecce away from house and after three consecutive defeats, they’re in dire want of three factors.
It has been a tricky season for the Rossoneri followers, however the previous couple of weeks have been a brand new low. Because of three consecutive defeats, the staff is in ninth place and will miss out on European soccer fully, which says every little thing.
Talking , Sergio Conceicao highlighted that it’s been an excellent week of coaching at Milanello. Given the additional time, he has lastly been in a position to work on some vital ways, which maybe will make a distinction.
Recreation date: Saturday, March 8Kick-off time: 18:00 (CET)Venue: By way of Del MareReferee: Daniele Doveri (VAR: Chiffi)
Staff information
Conceicao has been in a position to work with the gamers for a full week for the primary time, kind of, and he sounded very optimistic concerning the end result throughout the presser. Alessandro Florenzi, who had been absent since July final yr as a result of an ACL tear, .
However, Ruben Loftus-Cheek stays on the harm checklist whereas the likes of Mike Maignan and Strahinja Pavlovic might be suspended. Yunus Musah is the one participant liable to receiving a suspension, one yellow card away.
There have been totally different experiences on the beginning eleven for this sport, seeing as Conceicao is predicted to make fairly just a few adjustments. It may not be the maxi-rotation that some thought initially, although, as Theo Hernandez appears to be like set to maintain his beginning spot on the left.
Malick Thiaw will exchange the suspended Pavlovic, teaming up with Matteo Gabbia, whereas Kyle Walker has absolutely recovered and thus will begin on the left. In midfield, Warren Bondo appears to be like set to get his debut for the membership and moderately than Youssouf Fofana, he ought to staff up with Yunus Musah within the tandem.
Additional up the pitch, Alex Jimenez needs to be the beginning right-winger with Christian Pulisic transferring to the left as an alternative, leading to Rafael Leao on the bench. Tijjani Reijnders will occupy the No.10, which is nice information, whereas there might be a battle between Tammy Abraham and Santiago Gimenez up entrance.
Riccardo Sottil was initially reported among the many starters however it appears he might be on the bench, and the identical will be mentioned for Davide Bartesaghi. The latter may have changed Hernandez however Conceicao hinted that the majority gamers have been working effectively in coaching (evidently together with the Frenchman).
Predicted Milan XI (4-2-3-1): Sportiello; Walker, Gabbia, Thiaw, Theo; Bondo, Musah; Jimenez, Reijnders, Pulisic; Abraham/Gimenez.
The opponents
As was anticipated, it has been a season with ups and downs for Lecce, principally downs. They parted methods with Luca Gotti in November of final yr after attaining simply two wins within the opening 12 video games. Marco Giampaolo, the previous Milan supervisor, was introduced in to salvage the scenario.
In 15 league video games with the membership, the supervisor has bagged 4 wins, 4 attracts and 7 defeats. It’s not that significantly better than Gotti, in different phrases, however not less than they’ve pulled themselves out of the relegation zone with three factors to spare.
After all, they might want to decide up with a purpose to keep away from making the drop, as they solely have two attracts within the final 4 video games. Giampaolo that they need to give attention to their very own points, as they’re very a lot there, moderately than Milan’s type.
Santiago Pierotti, who has 4 targets and two assists this season, missed the final sport as a result of a minor discomfort however Giampaolo advised that he might be out there tomorrow. Indisputably, his presence can be an enormous enhance for the house aspect.
The likes of Nikola Krstovic, Thórir Jóhann Helgason and Lameck Banda have additionally recovered and might be at Giampaolo’s disposal tomorrow. In brief, the supervisor will have the ability to depend on a powerful squad and there are thus few excuses towards Milan tomorrow, particularly given the Rossoneri’s type.
It needs to be famous that the previous Milan participant, Ante Rebic, might be on the bench tomorrow and maybe he’ll get a cameo as effectively. It will actually be typical if he have been to seek out the again of the web, as he did so many occasions for the Rossoneri.
Predicted Lecce XI (4-3-3): Falcone; Guilbert, Baschirotto, Jean, Gallo; Coulibaly, Pierret, Berisha; Pierotti, Krstovic, Morente.
Face to face
Milan and Lecce have been up towards one another 44 occasions in all competitions, with the Rossoneri prevailing in 26 of those video games (together with the reverse fixture, 3-0 win). 15 of them led to attracts, whereas the By way of del Mare aspect solely have two wins to their identify. In brief, there’s a clear favorite on paper on this fixture.
After all, as the important thing information beneath additionally spotlight, Milan are in very poor type and this might maybe be the right alternative for Lecce to make it three wins towards the Rossoneri. In addition they want the win within the relegation battle, so they are going to actually be extra decided.
The final time Milan travelled to the By way of del Mare, the sport completed 2-2 after Stefano Pioli’s aspect squandered a two-goal lead. It may have been a defeat, however a late objective from Lecce was later disallowed by VAR for a foul within the build-up.
Key information and stats
➤ AC Milan have misplaced solely two of their 37 video games towards Lecce in Serie A (W22 D13); among the many groups they’ve confronted not less than 30 occasions within the top-flight, solely towards SPAL (97%) do the Rossoneri submit a better share of matches with out defeat than towards Leece (95%).
➤ Lecce have received just one house sport towards AC Milan in Serie A (April 2006 below Roberto Rizzo). As well as, at Lecce’s house, the Rossoneri have received the one sport of their historical past within the top-flight after trailing by three targets: from 3-0 to 3-4 in October 2011.
➤ Lecce haven’t scored of their final 4 Serie A video games and will fail to attain 5 matches in a row in a single Serie A marketing campaign for the primary time since April 2023. Nevertheless, Milan have misplaced by conceding two or extra targets in every of their final three league video games and solely 3 times of their historical past have recorded extra defeats in a row within the competitors with 2+ targets conceded (the final being a run of 5, between March and April 1974).
➤ Solely Monza (-22) have a worse factors distinction than AC Milan after the primary 27 video games performed in Serie A in comparison with the final version of the competitors: the Rossoneri have received simply 41 factors in Serie A this season, having amassed 56 within the first 27 video games performed in 2023/24, with a unfavourable distinction of -15.
➤ AC Milan are averaging 1.52 factors per sport in Serie A this season. The final time they recorded a decrease common in Serie A was in 2015/16, when the Rossoneri completed the season in seventh place, with 57 factors from 38 video games (precisely 1.50 factors per sport).
➤ Sérgio Conceição has averaged 1.40 factors per sport as AC Milan supervisor in Serie A this season. The earlier coach to have averaged lower than 1.50 per sport with the Rossoneri in Serie A was present Lecce coach Marco Giampaolo (1.29 in 2019/20).
➤ In accordance with the Anticipated Objectives mannequin, Lecce and AC Milan are two of the three groups which have the worst distinction between targets scored and xG recorded in Serie A this season: -6.6 for the Salento aspect (24.6 xG and 18 targets) and -5.2 for the Rossoneri (44.2 xG, 39 targets) – amongst them Cagliari with -5.9.
➤ AC Milan have collected 16 pink playing cards in all competitions within the final two seasons, not less than two greater than another Serie A staff on this interval (adopted by Hellas Verona on 14). Notably, 4 of those pink playing cards have are available in 2025: Yunus Musah towards Dinamo Zagreb and Theo Hernández towards Feyenoord within the UEFA Champions League, Fikayo Tomori towards Empoli and Strahinja Pavlovic within the final spherical towards Lazio in Serie A.
➤ AC Milan are the staff with which Ante Rebic has performed essentially the most video games (100) and scored essentially the most targets (27) in his profession within the 5 main European leagues. Towards the Rossoneri, he has recorded one win (in April 2016 with Hellas Verona) and one defeat (within the reverse fixture this season) in two earlier Serie A matches, with out scoring a objective.
➤ Since his Serie A debut (on 8 February towards Empoli), no AC Milan participant has accomplished extra dribbles (10, degree with Rafael Leão), has received extra fouls within the remaining third (three) and tried extra photographs (15) than João Félix in Serie A. Moreover, excluding defenders, solely Youssouf Fofana (15) has regained possession on extra events than the Portuguese amongst Milan gamers throughout this era (14, degree with Yunus Musah and Tijjani Reijnders, however amongst these three he has performed the fewest minutes– 356 minutes).
Ones to observe
Warren Bondo is predicted to make his debut for Milan tomorrow so naturally, he’s a participant the followers ought to preserve an additional eye on. He impressed many occasions with Monza however as everyone knows, it takes some time to get used to a brand new staff.
Up entrance, it appears to be like like Tammy Abraham might be given the nod forward of Santiago Gimenez, so it can positively be fascinating to see what he can add to the staff. On a superb day, as we noticed towards Roma within the Coppa Italia, he will be very harmful.
As for the house aspect, Federico Baschirotto would be the chief on the again along with his spectacular physique. Whereas he’s very robust in duels, and fairly quick for his dimension, there are nonetheless some vulnerabilities for the Rossoneri to take advantage of.
Talking of spectacular physique, the identical will be mentioned for Nikola Krstovic and Matteo Gabbia, in addition to Malick Thiaw, must preserve a really shut eye on him. Aerial duels and runs in behind are more likely to be key in that sense.
Prediction
Milan have really been in horrible type currently and whereas Lecce haven’t precisely impressed both, they’ve not less than claimed factors. The complete week of coaching ought to play in Conceicao’s favour however on the similar time, the environment stays extremely tense. As such, I imagine it may very well be one other draw.
Lecce 1-1 AC Milan