TIME MACHINE: AC MILAN vs. LECCE

After two consecutive away fixtures, AC Milan return to San Siro to mark a historic weekend for one of the most iconic stadiums in world football: the 100th anniversary of its opening. The Rossoneri will host Eusebio Di Francesco's Lecce on Matchday 5 of the 2026/27 Serie A season, in a fixture that brings to mind some memorable high-scoring games and comebacks, such as the famous 4-3 win at the Via del Mare in the 2011/12 season. Our Time Machine, however, takes us back a year earlier: 29 August 2010, the beginning of an unforgettable campaign.

If you can judge a season by its opening day, AC Milan 4-0 Lecce was certainly a promising start. After finishing third the previous season, there were plenty of changes. In the dugout, following his spell at Cagliari, came Massimiliano Allegri. Just one day before the match against the Salentini, which he watched from the stands alongside Silvio Berlusconi and Adriano Galliani, Zlatan Ibrahimović arrived from Barcelona, having scored 22 goals for the Blaugrana. A young Kevin-Prince Boateng was already at the club and would make his debut during the match. Robinho, another forward who would prove decisive that season, would arrive shortly afterwards.

Allegri's first 4-3-3 with the Rossoneri relied on the established stars from the previous season and immediately showed signs of promise, as AC Milan scored three times inside half an hour. The first name on the 2010/11 scoresheet was Alexandre Pato, who beat Rosati with a fierce cross-goal finish from the right. The second came from a scramble following a corner, with Thiago Silva applying the finishing touch from close range. 3-0 was another Pato goal, as he rounded the Lecce goalkeeper after being played through by an inspired pass from Ronaldinho. At half-time, new signing Ibrahimović was introduced to his new supporters and promised them a winning season.

The second half belonged to 37-year-old Pippo Inzaghi, who came on for Borriello, bringing with him his typical goal-finding ability. He came close in the 64th minute, bringing another brilliant Ronaldinho pass under control before attempting to lob Rosati, only to see his effort come back off the post. He finally got his goal right at the death, putting the finishing touch on AC Milan's opening-day victory and registering his 122nd goal in the Rossoneri shirt. It was the first step towards the 18th Scudetto, which arrived with two games to spare thanks to a 0-0 draw away to Roma, seven years after AC Milan's previous league title.

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