After drawing with an in-form Bologna, Inter Milan have relinquished their advantage over Napoli in terms of points dropped — as reigning champions, they cannot afford another slip-up. Their away game against Lecce is unlikely to pose a challenge for Inter Milan, especially after the coaching staff smartly managed player rotation in Prague against Sparta (1:0), preserving their energy for domestic competition.
Lecce remain precariously close to the relegation zone following a painful defeat by Cagliari (1:4), with their lead over 18th-placed Hellas Verona down to just one point. They still hold the least effective attack in the tournament (15 goals in 21 matches), and in terms of xGA, Lecce rank among the bottom three (39.21). While the underdogs show slightly more stability at home, they continue to falter against top-tier opponents — their loss to Lazio (1:2 with 1.96 xGA) being a case in point.
In nine away matches in the Italian championship, Inter Milan have collected 23 points and remain unbeaten (goal difference +20) — a record matched only by Juventus. In the last round against Empoli (3:1), both Lautaro Martínez and Marcus Thuram found the net. These leading forwards rank in the top 10 Serie A scorers (21+5 combined). Overall, Inter Milan boast the tournament's best shot efficiency, being the first to surpass 50 goals (51 in 20 matches).
Since March 2023, Lecce have suffered four consecutive defeats to Inter Milan, losing by two or more goals each time. The favourites are expected to create a significant advantage in chances once again.
