GdS: Predicted XIs for Milan vs. Lecce – first starts for two summer signings

AC Milan head coach Massimiliano Allegri is expected to make changes to the team for the game against Lecce, but it will be far from a full rotation.

Milan take on Lecce for the second time in the young season, this time with a place in the last 16 of the Coppa Italia at stake. However, the magnitude of the game on Sunday against Napoli cannot be ignored, even if Allegri seems determined to keep a good thing going.

AC Milan vs. Lecce: Predicted XIs

The injury absences are as follows: Rafael Leao will miss out as he gets close to returning from a calf issue, Ardon Jashari is recovering from a leg fracture and Mike Maignan is not expected to be risked as he too sustained a calf issue.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport this morning, Pietro Terriacciano should be in goal with Koni De Winter coming into the three-man defence in Matteo Gabbia’s place. He will be flanked by Fikayo Tomori and Strahinja Pavlovic.

Alexis Saelemaekers keeps his spot but Davide Bartesaghi is tipped to replace Pervis Estupinan. In midfield, Luka Modric should get a rest but not Adrien Rabiot, who is joined by Samuele Ricci and Youssouf Fofana.

Up front, there will be a first start for the summer signing Christopher Nkunku who will want to impress in front of the San Siro crowd. Santiago Gimenez should get the nod too, hoping for a goal amid a difficult start to the campaign.

Predicted Milan XI (3-5-2): Terracciano; Tomori, De Winter, Pavlovic; Saelemaekers, Fofana, Ricci, Rabiot, Bartesaghi; Gimenez, Nkunku.

Predicted Lecce XI (4-3-3): Fruchtl; Veiga, Gaspar, Gabriel, Ndaba; Coulibaly, Berisha, Helgason; N’Dri, Camarda, Morente.