Milan is flying high so does that mean a letdown is in the cards today? They’re going to need to stay focused as they welcome the worst team in the league to this point, one they already beat 2-0 a few weeks ago. Will they be up to it?
MATCHDAY:
LAST FIVE
MILAN: WLWWW
LECCE: WDLLL
FORMATIONS
MILAN (3-5-2): Maignan (C); Tomori, De Winter, Pavlovic;, Saelemaekers, Loftus-Cheek, Ricci, Rabiot, Bartesaghi; Giménez, Nkunku
LECCE (4-3-3): Früchtl; Veiga, Siebert, Gabriel, Ndaba; Kaba, Helgason, Berisha: N’Dri, Camarda, Morente
TIME/LOCATION
TIME: 3pm EST/7pm GMT
PLACE: San Siro, Milano
WHERE TO WATCH:
Paramount+ and FuboTV here in the US of Aye (Spanish broadcast on Fox Deportes in the US); FuboTV and TLN for Canada; TNT in the UK (maybe?); ESPN for Mexico; DAZN for Germany, Austria, Switzerland; a website called GXR for our friends in India; and illegal streams that support dictators and oligarchs everywhere.
*Let us know if this needs updating or if you have additional broadcasters to add*
WHAT TO WATCH FOR:
Milan rotating some players as expected and I’m mostly good about the lineup. Yes, even RLC. If we are to see him let it be in Coppa Italia games Milan shouldn’t be playing in to begin with. I’m excited to see Bartesaghi playing, as I really rate the player. In terms of new players, De Winter gets the nod over Gabbia, Ricci in for Modrić, and Nkunku starting alongside Giménez. I’m excited about seeing the new guys, maybe Ricci the most.
Finally for Milan, Maignan makes his way back. I mentioned in the comment section of the last matchday that I thought Maignan had suffered a calf injury but it turned out to be in quad. Much easier to come back from that. I wouldn’t be starting him in this round of a Coppa game but maybe the idea is to give him minutes before a big match this weekend vs Napoli.
For Lecce, it looks like they’re playing a lot of backups. It could be that they’re not happy with their everyday starters considering their rough start (they’re currently dead last in the league), or it could be that they are pulling a Sassuolo-in-the-Coppa from last season: choosing to focus on the domestic league and not diminishing their chances by expending too much energy chasing a cup they have near zero chance of winning. Probably the smart move.
Predictions
Like that Sassuolo Coppa game from last season, no reason Milan shouldn’t win this and win handedly. I mean Milan beat Sassuolo 6-1 in that game. So look for Giménez to finally break the slump (almost certainly why he’s playing) and Nkunku to score or assist. Camarda is starting for Lecce, maybe he gets on the board too. Should win by a few goals.
Forza Milan
gillis