Massimiliano Allegri Faces Selection Dilemma Ahead Of AC Milan's Serie A Clash With Lecce

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Massimiliano Allegri is uncertain about his starting lineup for AC Milan's Serie A clash with Lecce on Friday. Milan had a disappointing start to their campaign, losing to Cremonese despite taking 24 shots, second only to Juventus on the opening weekend. Cremonese capitalised on their limited opportunities, scoring twice from three shots on target, including a remarkable goal by Federico Bonazzoli. Milan's sole response was a strong header from Strahinja Pavlovic.

This summer saw significant transfer activity for Milan, along with an early Coppa Italia win over Bari. The team remains unbeaten in 14 matches against Lecce, winning the last three encounters. Allegri remains cautiously optimistic about continuing this trend but acknowledges uncertainty about his starting XI. "We need to approach the game correctly and with great respect," Allegri stated.

Lecce's coach Eusebio Di Francesco has instilled enthusiasm in his team, evident in their recent match against Genoa. Allegri emphasised the need for Milan to match Lecce's energy and improve technically. He noted that while they created many chances against Cremonese, defensive errors led to two conceded goals. "We conceded two crosses where we were well-positioned, but mistakes followed," he explained.

For Lecce, Tete Morente stood out in their opener against Genoa, making 20 passes in the final third and taking three shots in a game with few chances. With Nikola Krstovic moving to Atalanta, Lecce hopes Morente can fill the gap left by his departure. Meanwhile, Luka Modric joined Milan from Real Madrid after 13 years and 28 major trophies with Los Blancos. In his Serie A debut, Modric created three chances and made 32 passes in the final third.

Milan aims to record four consecutive league wins against Lecce for only the second time in their history. Their previous streak of five victories occurred between November 1989 and August 1993. Despite Lecce managing just one home win against Milan in 19 Serie A fixtures since April 2006, both teams have scored in every encounter since then.

Match Prediction and Statistics

The probability of a Milan victory stands at 53.6%, while a draw is at 25%, and Lecce has a 21.4% chance of winning according to Opta statistics. Historically, Lecce has drawn more matches against Milan than any other opponent in Serie A, with 13 out of 38 meetings ending level.

Allegri remains focused on improving Milan's defence while maintaining their attacking prowess. "With work, we'll focus more on defence," he said confidently. As they prepare for the match against Lecce, Allegri hopes his team can overcome recent setbacks and secure a positive result at San Siro.