Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Coppa Italia match.
AC Milan are the only one of Italy’s big clubs to begin their Coppa Italia campaign at the Round of 32 stage. Their opponents are Lecce, a side they recently beat in the league.
AC Milan
After a shock 1:2 defeat to Cremonese on the opening day of Serie A, AC Milan have steadied the ship with three consecutive wins, each accompanied by a clean sheet. Concerns grew when first-choice goalkeeper Mike Maignan picked up an injury, but Pietro Terracciano has stepped up impressively, highlighted by his four saves in the victory over Udinese.
Lecce
Things are looking bleak for Lecce, with just a single point collected from four matches – and that came on the opening weekend. Against stronger sides they have crumbled, losing 0:2 to Milan and 1:4 to Atalanta, while creating very little going forward. Their total xG across those two games was just 0.76.
AC Milan vs Lecce Prediction
AC Milan’s defensive solidity has been a highlight of their early season. If Lecce could not break through on home turf in Serie A, their chances at San Siro look virtually nonexistent. Another clean sheet for Pietro Terracciano is on the cards.
