AC Milan vs. Lecce: Serie A Matchday 6 Line-Ups and Pre-Match Dynamics

On September 27, 2024, AC Milan hosted Lecce at the iconic San Siro Stadium, as part of Matchday 6 of the Serie A season. The kick-off was scheduled for 20:45 CEST, and both teams had announced their starting line-ups with strategic formations reflective of their competitive aspirations in the league.

AC Milan, managed by Paulo Fonseca, fielded a 4-4-2 formation. Mike Maignan was set to guard the net, supported by defenders Emerson Royal, Matteo Gabbia, Fikayo Tomori, and Theo Hernández. The midfield featured Christian Pulisic, Youssouf Fofana, Tijjani Reijnders, and Rafael Leão. Up front, Alvaro Morata and Tammy Abraham led the attack, though Morata’s fitness was a concern. With the absence of key players due to injuries, Ruben Loftus-Cheek was anticipated to play a more significant role in midfield.

Lecce, under the guidance of their coach Gotti, opted for a 4-3-3 setup. Wladimiro Falcone took the position of goalkeeper, with the defensive line consisting of Patrick Dorgu, Brayan Gaspar, Federico Baschirotto, and Antonino Gallo. The midfield trio included Ramadani, Coulibaly, and Jean-Pierre Pierret. The attacking threats were posed by José Manuel Morente, Ante Rebić, and Nikola Krstović, despite Krstović nursing a slight injury.

Maintaining their momentum, AC Milan entered this match on the back of a thrilling 2-1 victory over their city rivals in the Derby della Madonnina, signaling a strong start to their Serie A campaign. This came alongside a recent 3-1 Champions League defeat to Liverpool, illustrating the mixed results in their recent fixtures.

Rafael Leão was awarded the captain’s armband for this game, taking over from Theo Hernandez, and intended to guide his team towards another triumph. The Rossoneri had maintained an impressive unbeaten streak against Lecce since 2006, emphasizing their dominance in recent matchups.

Lecce, on the other hand, arrived at San Siro unbeaten in their past three league outings, having drawn level with the unexpected league leaders in a recent game. Their previous match against Parma saw them conceding late goals to draw 2-2, a reminder of vulnerabilities to address.

This match was also noteworthy for Ante Rebic, formerly of Milan, who returned to face his old club after joining Lecce over the summer. Rebic shared his enthusiasm about returning to the San Siro, albeit donning different colors, stating it was “a unique experience.”

The match referee was designated as Luca Zufferli from Udine who was tasked with maintaining order in what promised to be a competitive match filled with tactical battles on the pitch.