AC Milan vs US Lecce – 23/04/2023
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AC Milan are fresh off qualifying for the Champions League semifinals after knocking off Napoli in midweek.
On May 10, the Rossoneri will clash with Inter Milan in the tournament’s final four first leg. However, before then, Milan still have league fixtures to play, with a spot in Serie A’s top four up for grabs.
On Sunday, AC Milan will welcome Lecce to the San Siro. Lecce are 16th in the Serie A standings, with 28 points from 30 matches. Five points separate Lecce from 18th-place Hellas Verona with eight matches to play.
The teams in Serie A’s bottom three have been very poor this season, helping Lecce keep their head above water. Had the combination of Sampdoria, Cremonese, and Hellas Verona been better, Lecce would be in more trouble than they currently are.
AC Milan are unbeaten in six straight matches versus Lecce. Earlier this season, the teams drew 2-2, as Lecce ran out to a halftime 2-0 lead. Milan battled back getting goals from Rafael Leao and Davide Calabria to gain the draw.
In the teams’ last 25 head-to-head meetings, Milan posted a record of 12W-11D-2L against Lecce. Milan averaged 2.08 goals per match compared to Lecce’s 1.08.
The Giallorossi are on a poor run of form. They failed to win any of their last seven Serie A fixtures. Five of the last six matches ended in defeat.
AC Milan only took six points from the last six Serie A matches, however. The Rossoneri are struggling for consistent winning form. They are unbeaten in three straight Serie A matches. The teams scored eight goals and conceded seven times in the last six fixtures.
Lecce have struggled traditionally at the San Siro. They failed to win any of their last 10 matches at the famous Milan stadium.
Stefano Pioli will be without Calabria for the match due to a suspension. Calabria was one of Milan’s midweek Champions League stars, as he kept Napoli’s attack in check. Joining Calabria on the sidelines will be Zlatan Ibrahimovic. He has a muscle injury and won’t return until May.
Lecce’s defensive duo of Kastriot Dermaku and Marin Pongracic are both suffering from leg injuries. Both players could miss the fixture in Milan.
AC Milan qualified for the Champions League semifinals for the first time in over a decade in midweek. The good times should continue for the Rossoneri with a win over Lecce. Pioli’s team should win 2-0 at home against a woeful Lecce.
