AC MILAN v LECCE: MATCH PREVIEW

AC Milan is set to face Lecce in the Coppa Italia 2025/26 clash. The match will take place on Tuesday 23 September at 21:00 at San Siro. Under the guidance of coach Allegri (with Marco Landucci on the dugout because of Allegri's suspension), the Rossoneri are ready to take on the team led by Eusebio Di Francesco. This match offers an opportunity for AC Milan to continue their journey in the competition, while Lecce will aim to challenge the home side. We approach kick-off with our Match Preview.

LATEST FROM MILANELLO
AC Milan head into this clash on good form, having won their last Serie A outing with a commanding 3-0 victory over Udinese. The Rossoneri showed both defensive solidity and attacking quality, two key elements that will also be vital in the knockout stages of the Coppa Italia. In their previous cup match, AC Milan overcame Bari 2-0, underlining their determination to progress in the competition. Coach Allegri is keen to keep the momentum going while also looking to give minutes to players who have seen less action so far this season. Samuele Ricci could feature alongside Modrić, offering a tactical variation centred on distribution, while Koni De Winter is expected to rotate in and give one of the three starting defenders a rest.

"For us, the Coppa Italia is one of the goals of the season," Allegri told Milan TV on the eve of the match. "We have 90 minutes to win and go through. To reach Rome, we need the right approach. Lecce are a team that play good football and will have no pressure on them. For us, it's a match we must approach with great sincerity."

Allegri: "We'll need the right approach"

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LATEST FROM LECCE
Lecce come to San Siro on the back of a 2-1 league defeat to Cagliari. The Salentini have endured a difficult start to the season, collecting just one point from their opening four matches, but they have also shown glimpses of their potential threat. Di Francesco's preferred 4-3-3 system emphasizes width, aiming to finish moves through the central striker. In this role, the coach has so far favoured Štulić over Camarda. Both forwards are still finding their feet in Serie A, but the pecking order could yet change as the season develops. In the Coppa Italia, Lecce advanced past Juve Stabia with a 2-0 win in the previous round, proving they have the tools to handle big occasions. The Giallorossi will look to seize every opportunity to trouble AC Milan and push to progress in the competition.

PRE-MATCH STATS

• AC Milan and Lecce will face each other for the 47th time across all competitions; the record of the previous 46 encounters is 29 Rossoneri wins against just two Giallorossi victories (15 draws). The last victory for the Apulians against the Devil was on April 1, 2006, in Salento (1-0, thanks to a goal by Konan).
• AC Milan will face two different Apulian teams in a single edition of the Coppa Italia for the first time since 1990/91: Bari and Lecce also in that case (in that season, the Devil reached the semifinals). Moreover, that was also the last occasion when the Rossoneri and Giallorossi met in the competition: the Lombards advanced thanks to a win and a draw in the two-legged round of 16.
• AC Milan has won without conceding in three of their last four home matches across all competitions (1 loss): as many wins with a clean sheet as they collected in the previous 21 home games across all competitions.
• Since joining AC Milan, Christian Pulisic is the only Serie A player to have reached the milestone of 35 goals and 20 assists in all competitions. Additionally, since the start of 2023/24, he has scored 36 goals and provided 21 assists for a total of 57 goal contributions, at least six more than any other teammate.

WHERE TO WATCH AC MILAN ON TV
In Italy, the game will be live on Italia 1. To watch it from a different country, please consult the "AC Milan on TV" page. Follow Matchday on Milan TV: live coverage will begin at 20:15 CEST until shortly before kick-off, with the game being followed by interviews and Coach Allegri's press conference. Don't miss out on our coverage via acmilan.com, the AC Milan Official App, our official social media channels and WhatsApp.

LATEST FROM THE COPPA ITALIA
Paride Tremolada will be the referee for the match. Bahri and Barone will be his assistants, while Sozza will perform the role of fourth official. Maggioni, assisted by Mazzoleni, will oversee VAR.

The Coppa Italia Round of 32 kicks off on Tuesday 23 September with Cagliari v Frosinone at 17:00 CEST, Udinese v Palermo at 18:30 CEST and AC Milan v Lecce at 21:00 CEST. On Wednesday 24 September the action continues with Parma v Spezia at 17:00 CEST, Hellas Verona v Venezia at 18:30 CEST and Como v Sassuolo at 21:00 CEST. The round concludes on Thursday 25 September with Genoa v Empoli at 18:30 CEST and Torino v Pisa at 21:00 CEST. The winner of AC Milan v Lecce will face Lazio in December.

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