Milan v Lecce Live Commentary & Result, 23/04/2023, Serie A

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	PTS	Form
1	NAP Napoli	38	28	6	4	77	28	+49	90	W D W L W
2	LAZ Lazio	38	22	8	8	60	30	+30	74	W W W D L
3	INT Internazionale	38	23	3	12	71	42	+29	72	W W L W W
4	MIL Milan	38	20	10	8	64	43	+21	70	W W W L W
5	ATA Atalanta	38	19	7	12	66	48	+18	64	W L W L L
6	ROM Roma	38	18	9	11	50	38	+12	63	W L D D L
7	JUV Juventus	38	22	6	10	56	33	+23	62	W L L W W
8	FIO Fiorentina	38	15	11	12	53	43	+10	56	W W D W L
9	BOL Bologna	38	14	12	12	53	49	+4	54	W D W D D
10	TOR Torino	38	14	11	13	42	41	+1	53	L W D W D
11	MON Monza	38	14	10	14	48	52	-4	52	L L W W D
12	UDI Udinese	38	11	13	14	47	48	-1	46	L L L L W
13	SAS Sassuolo	38	12	9	17	47	61	-14	45	L D L L D
14	EMP Empoli	38	10	13	15	37	49	-12	43	L D W D W
15	SAL Salernitana	38	9	15	14	48	62	-14	42	L W D W L
16	LEC Lecce	38	8	12	18	33	46	-13	36	L W D D L
17	SPE Spezia	38	6	13	19	31	62	-31	31	L L D W L
18	VER Hellas Verona	38	7	10	21	31	59	-28	31	L D L L W
19	CRE Cremonese	38	5	12	21	36	69	-33	27	W L L L W
20	SAM Sampdoria	38	3	10	25	24	71	-47	19	L D L D L

That concludes our coverage of the Serie A fixture between Milan and Lecce! We hope you've enjoyed it!

Milan have six days before a crucial fixture in the race for the top four against Roma on Saturday. Lecce return home to host Udinese on Friday.

Milan return to winning ways in the league after a pair of draws, earning a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Lecce. Pioli's side took a one-goal advantage into the interval thanks to Leao's close-range header, after being denied a penalty by VAR and seeing Banda crash a chance off the post. The rest of the game would follow in a similar vein, with both sides creating half-chances but showing little in the way of clinical finishing. Leao would change that, however, with another sublime solo effort, driving the entire length of the opposition’s half before dragging a finish into the far corner to give the hosts a bit of insurance. The introduction of Strefezza, who leads Lecce in scoring, did little to help Baroni's side as the Rossoneri also registered their second clean sheet in their last three fixtures. The win takes them up to fourth, while the Giallorossi stay 16th.

90' + 5' FULL-TIME: MILAN 2-0 LECCE.

90' + 3' A moment of worry at the back for Milan, with Maignan not coming off his line to pick up the ball inside his penalty area. Tomori, expecting movement from his goalkeeper, stands firm in an attempt to block off Oudin, who manages to get his foot to it. Maignan eventually sorts out the situation and wins possession back but Pioli won't be happy with the miscommunication.

90' + 1' Since Serie A returned to 20 teams (2004-05), only one foreign Lecce midfielder has managed to be involved in 10 or more goals in a single Serie A campaign: Guillermo Giacomazzi (15 in 2004-05); Strefezza (seven goals and two assists so far) can become the second.

89' The fourth official indicates four minutes will be added to the end of the match for stoppages.

87' Bennacer's corner is cleared at the near post by Oudin, who heads it to Hernandez 30 yards from goal. The left-back immediately smashes a volley through the crowd of bodies, but it receives a touch from Kalulu in an offside position - ending the move.

85' De Ketelaere gets Milan up the pitch on a counter-attack before finding Origi, who swings a cross to the back post for the lurking Rebic. Gallo comes across and does just enough, heading it behind for a corner.

83' Rebic finds Origi near the byline with a backheel flick but after much wriggling away from danger, the striker's eventual cross is easily cleared away by the Lecce defence.

81' Between March and April, Milan have won just six points in six league games; last season, in their first six league games played between March and April they won 14 points, thanks to four wins and two draws.

D. Origi

Rafael Leão

79' Leao is given an early rest after a two-goal effort, to be replaced by Origi.

Y. Maleh

L. Banda

79' Banda comes off without a goal after striking the post in the first half. Maleh is introduced.

S. Romagnoli

V. Gendrey

79' A change in defence for Lecce sees Romagnoli come on for Gendrey.

C. De Ketelaere

Brahim Díaz

78' De Ketelaere comes on, still in search of his first goal for Milan. Diaz is withdrawn.

Joan Gonzàlez

A. Blin

76' Lecce make a change immediately after conceding, with Gonzalez replacing Blin in midfield.

74' Banda wriggles away from his marker and has a quick strike at goal that's dealt with easily by Maignan.

Rafael Leão

Goal

74' IT'S TWO FOR LEAO AND TWO FOR MILAN! 2-0! A goal entirely of his own creation, he gets on the end of Diaz's scuffed pass towards the centre circle and drives through Lecce's half, getting past Hjulmand and Baschirotto before entering the penalty area and dragging a clever finish off the right post and in, with the goalkeeper rooted to his spot!

Brahim Díaz

Assist

74' Diaz is given the assist for Leao's second goal, though the Milan winger was still left with a lot to do after getting on the end of the key pass.

73' UP AND OVER FROM LEAO! The winger breaks into the penalty area after a lovely initial turn on Blin and steps past Baschirotto before attempting a difficult chip over Falcone from close range. The goalkeeper is left helpless but his blushes are saved with Leao sending his finish off-target.

72' Gendrey finds the head of Persson with a cross from the right but the substitute striker can only pop his effort up and over the frame of the goal.

70' Strefezza rides the challenge of Bennacer and smashes a swerving shot from 22 yards out that Maignan palms over the crossbar with a quick flash of the glove.

68' Baschirotto is again given the benefit of the doubt after bringing Leao down just outside the penalty area, with the referee deeming the contact nothing more than shoulder-to-shoulder. It's been a frustrating day for the Portugal international outside of the goal, with Lecce very quick to be physical.

J. Voelkerling Persson

A. Ceesay

66' Persson is sent into the fray to spearhead the attack, with Ceesay making way.

Gabriel Strefezza

F. Di Francesco

65' Di Francesco comes off in Lecce's first change of the match. Strefezza gets a chance to make his mark.

64' Lecce have kept the fewest clean sheets (three) of any side in Serie A this term, with the last of them coming against Cremonese in February. Despite this, they are the only team not to have conceded more than twice in a game this season.

62' Kjaer opts to go long in search of Rebic, but the forward is again unable to get on the end of a team-mate's pass, with the forward still struggling to make an impact in the match.

I. Bennacer

S. Tonali

60' A change in midfield for Milan sees Bennacer take over for Tonali.

S. Kjær

M. Thiaw

59' The booked Thiaw makes way, with the experienced Kjaer on in his stead.

A. Saelemaekers

Junior Messias

59' Saelemaekers gets 30 minutes to make an impact, replacing Messias on the right wing.

58' It’s now Lecce's turn to keep pressure on their opponents, with Milan failing to clear their lines or play out from the back effectively. With just over 30 minutes remaining the situation remains the same for the hosts, who will not feel secure until they find a second, while Baroni's side continue to press for the equaliser.

56' Thiaw plays a low, powerful pass to the edge of the 18-yard box for Rebic. The striker looks to casually flick the ball on for the run of Tonali but he gets it wrong and gives away possession in a dangerous area.

54' Gallo plays a leading pass down the left for Ceesay, who attempts to allow the ball to roll in front of him before catching up to it to beat Hernandez. It's a clever attempt by the forward, who loses his footing and allows it to go out for a Milan throw.

52' Messias cuts inside from the right and plays a pass back to Thiaw on the edge of the penalty area. The centre-back immediately fires a shot towards goal that he claims caught the hand of Hjulmand, though the referee sees nothing wrong with the block as Lecce are allowed to clear the ball away.

50' Milan are showing little urgency to move forward with the ball when Lecce is in their defensive shape, forcing both Krunic and Tonali to drop deep in their own half to spark something. Better on the counter-attack, the hosts will need to show a bit more on the ball if they wish to unlock the visitors from open play.

48' The referee immediately blows his whistle following a clash of heads between Gendrey and Leao, with both number 17s down on the pitch in some discomfort. The Milan winger is first to his feet and the two eventually share an apologetic handshake, with Falcone to restart play with the ball in his hands.

46' Milan get the match restarted from the kick-off!

An intense and fiercely competitive match, Milan must be focused on keeping their cool after a frustrating and niggly opening period, despite taking the lead. Pioli will not be comfortable with a one-goal advantage and will look to keep his side on the offensive, looking for a bit of insurance. Ibrahimovic could be a late addition for Rebic, while De Ketelaere could offer a more physical alternative to Diaz. Lecce have created plenty of chaos in the Milan defence and will look to be a bit more clinical in the second, with Strefezza a ready replacement in the front line.

Milan take a one-goal advantage into the half-time interval at San Siro, beating Lecce 1-0 thanks to Leao's neat, headed finish. With time running out in the race for the top-four places, the hosts started the match with much more urgency, dominating possession of the ball while looking to catch the opposing defence off-guard and unsettled. Marco Baroni's side handled the early danger well and came incredibly close to taking the lead themselves, with Banda shaking the woodwork with his effort. The Rossoneri were ultimately rewarded for their persistence with a goal five minutes from time, with Tonali finding Leao at the far post following a short-corner routine – a strike that erased memories of an earlier Milan penalty awarded, before being overturned, by VAR.

45' + 5' HALF-TIME: MILAN 1-0 LECCE.

45' + 3' Di Francesco has gone down inside the penalty area, claiming to have been caught by the studs of Maignan during the goalkeeper's attempt to catch the ball in the air. Tomori gets involved in the argument as the referee looks to calm down tempers, though no free-kick will be awarded with the winger's claims unfounded.

45' + 1' The fourth official indicates three minutes will be added to the end of the half for stoppages.

44' Claims for a handball on Baschirotto go unheard as Lecce are allowed to continue attacking on the counter, but the passage of play leads to nothing for the visitors as Blin is unable to turn Gallo's cross home at the far post; instead turning it wide for a goal-kick.

42' Diaz looks to find one of either Leao or Rebic with a disguised cross into the 18-yard box from a central position, but Falcone reads the play well and steps off his line to make the catch.

S. Tonali

Assist

40' Tonali picks up the assist with a lovely cross to find Leao at the far post.

Rafael Leão

Goal

40' LEAO CONTINUES HIS GREAT RUN OF FORM! 1-0! Tonali takes Milan's corner low towards the near post, where Messias waits to receive the pass. The winger immediately returns the ball to his team-mate, with Tonali clipping in a lovely cross to the far post. With four players waiting in the area, it's Leao who rises highest to head home a finish!

39' Diaz wriggles free of Hjulmand in midfield and leads Hernandez towards the byline with a pass, but the full-back's cross is blocked behind for a corner thanks to a sliding Gendrey.

37' Milan have been the more threatening side in the first half, controlling possession of the ball and managing more shots on target than their opponents, though it's Lecce who have had the best opportunity through Banda. His headed effort off the woodwork is the closest either side have come to opening the scoring with just under 40 minutes played.

35' Hernandez stretches his legs with the ball following the injury, looking to shake it off before laying a pass off to Leao. The Portugal international's cross is not a particularly good one, with Baschirotto immediately volleying it out of play for a throw.

33' Hernandez remains down receiving treatment following a crunching tackle from Blin, which saw the Lecce midfielder make contact with the ball first. The referee has no problems with the tackle but it does look a painful one for the Milan captain, who will do his best to carry on.

32' Tomori looks long and fires a cross into Lecce's penalty area from a position in the centre-circle. Rebic gets his timing just right and makes contact with his header, popping the ball up and providing a relatively easy save for Falcone.

30' Lecce's only victory in 16 previous Serie A matches away to Milan dates back to 19 October 1997; the Rossoneri have won 12 of these 16 matches (D3), but they drew last time (2-2 in October 2019).

28' Oudin swings the ensuing free-kick in towards the Milan six-yard box but Tomori flies across and heads away the danger.

M. Thiaw

Yellow Card

27' The first yellow card of the match is shown to Thiaw, for aggressively stepping across and catching Banda in midfield.

26' Milan's forays forward down the left have been met with little success in the opening stages, with two Lecce players immediately marking Leao anytime he’s in possession. Blin and Di Francesco have been eager to come back and help Gendrey in defence.

24' Hernandez clips a hopeful cross into the penalty area from a position deep on the left wing but Umtiti rises highest to win the ball in the air, allowing Blin to whack it away emphatically.

22' The first corner of the match goes the way of Milan, with Tonali's outswinger eventually cleared down the pitch following Ceesay's initial contact.

20' OFF THE POST! INCREDIBLE! Gendrey is given an acre of space on the right wing to swing in a cross, with the ball skipping through the crowd of bodies on the penalty spot. It bounces up kindly to an unmarked Banda at the far post but he sends his headed attempt crashing off the frame of the goal!

18' NO PENALTY! The fans in the stadium are not pleased with the decision, with referee Daniele Chiffi coming back from the monitor on the touchline and overturning his initial decision! Upon second view it appears the centre-back did just enough to stick his toe in and make contact with the ball first, which has given Lecce a reprieve!

16' Rebic looks to take the ball away from Hjulmand, who has kept it in his hands while both sets of players surround the referee. There's a lengthy VAR check, with the match official now sent to view the replay on the monitor.

14' PENALTY TO MILAN! Hernandez charges into the penalty area to get on the end of Leao's pass, and he's immediately bowled over by Baschirotto. It's a clumsy and awkward attempt from the centre-back, which leaves the referee in no doubt!

12' Blin uses his physicality to win the ball back from Diaz outside Milan’s penalty area, before putting a flat cross into the penalty area for Ceesay. It's a dangerous delivery that looks to pick out the forward, but Maignan is off his line in a flash to make a crucial catch.

10' Tonali picks up possession inside the centre circle and looks to play a pass out to the right, but he instead knocks it out of play to help out Ceesay, who has remained down following an aerial duel with Tomori. The Lecce striker looks to be able to continue after regaining his breath, with the visitors returning possession to Maignan in order to restart play.

8' Kalulu attempts a similar trick with a deep throw into Lecce's 18-yard box, but Falcone is alert to the danger, stepping off his line to make a comfortable catch.

7' Gendrey looks to threaten the Milan penalty area with a long throw-in from the right but Ceesay turns his header wide of Maignan’s goal under pressure from Tomori.

5' Diaz drops his shoulder and charges past Blin into a pocket of space in midfield. Looking for the run of Rebic, he shapes his body for a cross towards the penalty spot, but Krunic gets in the way and unwittingly deflects the ball behind for a goal-kick.

3' Leao gets past Blin with ease down the left flank but Di Francesco tracks all the way back near his own penalty area to help his team-mate win the ball back and alleviate the early pressure.

1' Lecce get the match under way from the kick-off!

Lecce make a single alteration to the line-up that drew 1-1 with Sampdoria seven days ago, with Banda replacing Strefezza on the right wing.

Milan make a whopping seven changes to the XI that drew 1-1 with Bologna last weekend, with many familiar faces returning to the starting line-up. Hernandez retakes his position at left-back, dropping Ballo-Toure to the bench while Tomori partners Thiaw at centre-back, pushing Kalulu to right-back which leaves no room for Florenzi. Tonali and Krunic pair up in midfield instead of the injured Tommaso Pobega and Vrancx, while Leao, Diaz and Messias take over for Origi, De Ketelaere and Saelemaekers in attack.

LECCE SUBS: Joan Gonzalez, Simone Romagnoli, Marco Bleve, Tommaso Cassandro, Youssef Maleh, Alessandro Tuia, Giuseppe Pezzella, Federico Brancolini, Joel Voelkerling Persson, Thorir Helgason, Gabriel Strefezza, Pietro Ceccaroni, Kristoffer Askildsen.

LECCE XI (4-3-3): Wladimiro Falcone; Valentin Gendry, Federico Baschirotto, Samuel Umtiti, Antonino Gallo; Alexis Blin, Morten Hjulmand, Remi Oudin; Lameck Banda, Assan Ceesay, Federico Di Francesco.

MILAN SUBS: Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Fode Ballo-Toure, Antonio Mirante, Ciprian Tatarusanu, Simon Kjaer, Yacine Adli, Alexis Saelemaekers, Alessandro Florenzi, Charles De Ketelaere, Divock Origi, Aster Vrancx, Tiemoue Bakayoko, Ismael Bennacer, Matteo Gabbia.

MILAN XI (4-2-3-1): Mike Maignan; Theo Hernandez, Fikayo Tomori, Malick Thiaw, Pierre Kalulu; Sandro Tonali, Rade Krunic; Rafael Leao, Brahim Diaz, Junior Messias; Ante Rebic.

With 15 minutes to go before kick-off, let's take a look at how the two sides are lining up - starting with our hosts!

Sitting two points ahead of the drop with eight games remaining, Lecce are looking to secure back-to-back seasons in the top flight for the first time since 2010-11 and 2011-12. The Giallorossi put an end to a six-match losing run last Sunday with a 1-1 draw against last-place Sampdoria but have not taken three points in a game since a shock 2-1 win over Atalanta, over two months ago.

A midweek draw against Napoli saw Milan advance to the semi-final stage of the Champions League for the first time since 2007, though their bid for inclusion in next year’s competition has hit another snag with Juventus overturning their 15-point deduction to put themselves ahead of the Rossoneri in the table. Currently sixth with only one league win in their last five games - also against Napoli - a victory against Lecce would put Stefano Pioli's side back into a tie for fourth.

Hello and welcome to our LIVE commentary of the Serie A fixture between Milan and Lecce!

Milan v Lecce Live Commentary, 23/04/2023

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