After their win against Como, it seemed AC Milan might return to old habits with a struggle against Lecce. However, it did not end that way.
The first half saw Milan attack, but nothing really went their way, as they failed to get ahead on the scoresheet. However, the side improved in the second half, and more chances were created, but there were still issues with scoring.
It was all looking rather frustrating, but in the 76th minute, after a good assist from Alexis Saelemaekers, it was Niclas Fullkrug to open the scoring.
The German striker did exactly what he was brought to do, imposing his presence in the penalty area and getting a goal in a very crucial moment.
Here are five things we learned from the game.
1. That’s his job
Fullkrug started on the bench, but he didn’t need much time after coming on to impact the game. He had one proper chance, and he took it. Which resulted in the Rossoneri grabbing the crucial points in the title race.
This is exactly what the striker was brought to do.
Milan have struggled against teams in the bottom half of the table, and against low blocks specifically, because they lacked such a physical striker in the penalty box. Fullkrug seems to have solved that problem.
Hopefully, the West Ham loanee continues to find form and more playing time as he is proving to be quite impactful thus far. Especially considering he is unlucky to have only made his first contribution now.
2. Saelemaekers crucial once again
The Belgian started the season really well, but his form dipped towards the end of 2025 and his role shifted to a more defensive one, rather than attacking as much. He was still working really hard, but not necessarily making an impact in the opponent’s half.
However, against Lecce, Saelemaekers had a crucial role going forward; he provided lots of creativity in the final third with smart dribbles and passes to create chances for himself and his teammates, which eventually resulted in the assist for the winner.
It’s nice to see the wing-back being impactful in both phases of the game, and hopefully, he continues to do so, especially now when there will be a target man in the box.
3. Clean sheet, at last
There have been some impressive defensive performances by the Diavolo this season. Recently, though, they have struggled to keep a clean sheet. Specifically, it has been against sides in the bottom half of the table, unsurprisingly enough.
Having said that, Allegri needed to solve that puzzle, considering these games might decide where his team ends the season. Against Lecce, we didn’t really see any danger to Maignan, which was refreshing to see.
What was even more refreshing was Koni De Winter’s performance, which was probably one of the best, if not the best, in red and black. This builds on top of his solid performance against Como.
After some very questionable displays earlier in the season, it might be time to acknowledge the fact that the Belgian might be an asset after all, especially given his age of just 23 years.
4. Promising by Jashari
Ardon Jashari was one of the biggest summer signings, but he unfortunately got injured at the start of the season, and whilst recovered now, he is not in his best shape yet. Having said that, against Lecce, he was really good. In fact, Sunday was probably his best game to date.
He won several duels, recovering the ball well and shielding the defence, whilst his passing was also good throughout the game. There were moments where we also saw his vision with some interesting through balls. Whilst he can definitely be even bolder, it’s refreshing to see him pick up form and confidence.
His movements also looked sharper as he is clearly getting closer and closer to being at his very best, and that might be just in time as we enter a period with some big games against teams in the top six.
5. Great game management from Allegri
We’ve mentioned before that the coach needs to find a way for his side to collect all three points in games against the bottom-half teams, and whilst it was a close one, Milan did get the job done against Lecce.
The performance was also more dominant compared to some rather frustrating games that come to mind from this season.
Between the 20th and 45th minute, Allegri’s side dropped the tempo quite a bit, but the first 20 minutes were good in terms of intensity and finding the empty spaces. The second half was much better too, with quite a few dangerous situations in front of Lecce’s goal.
It was unfortunate that Pulisic didn’t make use of his big chance, and there were some questionable decisions on a couple of counterattacks, but the team was at least finding the space.
Then, around the 70th minute, the Italian reacted well with his substitutions, as proven by Fullkrug’s goal just three minutes after coming on. Following the goal, Milan managed the game well to see it out, allowing zero chances to the away side.
A near-perfect performance from the coach, indeed.
I feel sad for Jashari that he lost some time, but I’m happy that he’s doing well now. Very well indeed and adapting quickly to a new league. He’s not letting his transfer fee add pressure.
Hope he continues with his form and I think he will. He has quality and delivery.
I don’t think he would have played much the first half of the season anyway. At least this way he could gradually play himself into the team from the background. He’s not there yet, but in his general movement you can just see how aware he is off what happens around him. The total opposite of Fofana
Yeah I was so worried when he got injured.
I was also concerned how he’d get he a run with Modric and Ricci, but the former needs resting and the latter seems to play really well alongside him.
I thought Ricci did really well as well. He provides more movement than I thought he’d offer. Not as much as Fofana an RLC who are more physical, but he gets into really nice pockets.
All round it was a very encouraging performance from the midfield.
1- The Jashari-Ricci duo has finally proven to be useful against a team of the caliber of Lecce. Which means we finally have the option to rotate the midfield when we play against teams of the caliber of Lecce again and give Modrić more rest.
2- Füllkrug’s entrance yesterday and his peformances with us so far prove that Allegri’s system needs a true 9. Which means that unless we revert to a 3-4-3 or a 4-3-3, one of Leão or Pulišić will have to be benched more often than not.
3- Our tall players (Gabbia, Tomori, De Winter, Rabiot & Loftus-Cheek) need to take courses on how to aim headers.
4- Pervis Estupiñán has his work cut for him, especially when it comes to spacial awarness and blind spots….
5- Given how pretty much nothing happened after we scored, I feel like I should have switched to the AFCON final, which from the last minutes onwards was absolute cinema.
Do you think that Brahim missed that penalty on purpose because of what happened right before that?
I did hear that theory and it certainly is a possibility, but I have a lot of doubts.
If he did that would be pretty stup!d coming from him and I hope for him Morocco never finds out.
I don’t think he did it on his own, I think he was instructed to miss.
Everyone on the pitch acted as they were expecting him to miss. No celebration, no reaction by Senegal players, they just continue playing like it was nothing, not a penalty saved in the last minute of a final that they thought it was unfairly given.
Milan players celebrated like they won the UCL after Genoa missed the penalty.
Allegri isnt much for this sort.of.thog. So a pipe dream but consider going back to 4231
MM
FT – MG – SP – DB
LM – AR
AS – CP – RL
NF
Pulisic has shown he can adapt to being in the middle.
Interesting that we gain depth in the defense CB dept and behind the striker.
Santi coming back shores up the 9.
Would be fun to see but I think the best we can hope for is 433. I’m not sure Fullkrug is fit. Either the toe is a bigger deal or he’s got some other injury he is carrying. His ability to change direction (esp from a planted right foot) seems very limited.
I’d be surprised if Allegri changes his plans too much and I’d expect him to stick with Leao and Pulisic with Füllkrug coming off the bench or being used in rotation.
Part of what makes Allegri successful is that he sticks to his plans.
Which drives people down here mad who like to change players as often as they change socks
Given the level of some of the “contributions” here by certain posters, those posters maybe are mom’s basement dwellers who don’t change their socks all that often…
🤣🤣🤣
Says the guy who dumped Milan last year for Como. Guess now that Milan is good again you will root for them again…
Yes after 40 years I dumped Milan for a team that finished two places below them…..because I am ‘glory supporter’.
And I haven’t even said that I am back supporting Milan. Things are still on a tightrope because of the owners. But Allegri, Gabbia and Bartesaghi, and Maignan, Leao and Saelemaekers and other ‘old faces’ give me some hope.
The thing that is so far beyond most people’s comprehensions is that I stopped supporting Milan because of how Calabria (and the rest) were treated. Calabria was the last straw that followed the disgraceful treatment of everyone from Maldini, Pioli and the other Scudetto winners.
But since most people on here lack basic loyalty to the people who gave them success, and are more into ‘Brand Loyalty’ they simply cannot even fathom why someone would walk away.
So you base your allegiance on the players/coach that is on the team? So if they get rid of players that stop performing well(like Calabria) and bring in new players who aren’t Italian then you stop supporting them?
That’s actually fine. Obviously can do what you want but if you don’t support them then why do you keep posting on here? I’m honestly just curious.
Yes after 40 years I dumped Milan for a team that finished two places below them…..because I am ‘glory supporter’.
And I haven’t even said that I am back supporting Milan.
First of all, thanks for admitting dumping Milan for a more foreign owned team than ours while complaining about the lack of locals in the team at the same time. Ironic isn’t it.
Secondly he never said you are a glory supporter. YOU came to that conclusion on your own and correctly so might I add.
Thirdly, you’re saying you never said said you’re back supporting the club …which makes sense because no one here believes you support Milan. But you’re back here commenting on Milan forum where real Milan fans are.
You have mental problems and possibly multiple personality disorders.
On one hand you once said “People have a go at me for switching to Como. The truth is I never really switched.” Now you’re here telling us you’re not back supporting the club. You are an absolute tw@t. The worse possible fan. And you have the gall to lecture real fans on this site about how loyalty and being a Milan fan.stfu mr “But since most people on here lack basic loyalty” yet lack basic loyalty himself.
And we dont believe you’ve supported the team for 40+ years. If you can’t handle this then you can’t have handled the late 90s and the banter era, because those two were much worse. You just pretend you’ve supported the club for a long time when in reality you just hopped on the bandwagon recently
The club is the players.
You can’t support the club and not support the players.
More so when those players and those individuals are part of this history of the club.
You can’t go from chanting someone’s name to indifference.
Sure I accept players and individuals come and go, but the club was actively backgrounding its captain and freezing out of the team over nothing.
The owners dismantled a Scudetto winning squad that was built by Maldini, and treated most of the players and individuals with contempt.
Then they were forced to bring in a competent manager and director of football to fix the mess.
It’ll be hard to return whilst these owners are in charge. But I was a supporter for 40 years so it’s not exactly a habit that’s easy to give up. And I still care. So I comment.
Roy is that you? if not Roy is somebody from that shamefull Rossonari TV. Please let us real Milan fans coment. We dont need outsider. Go comment on Como is your team now.
Como had a million different transfers yet you jumped ship to them? Dude you are all over the place.
🤣🤣🤣
Ricci and Jashari being mentored by a great like Luka Modric can only be a good thing moving forward for Milan.
Half of the season and Modric is already dead. We cannot use him the way he did in the first half of the season. He will either pick up an injury or cost us big time in some important match. His minutes must be managed with care.
It’s good timing as it will allow Jashari and Ricci to step in.
There’s the bones of a long term midfield there. If the club can manage not to force out its players after more than one season.
Maldini’s heir why dont u shut up and clean your mother’s toilet…. It would make more sense than hearing you here
So much anger…..
Roy you are pathetic as always. Go comment on Como post. Let us real Ac Milan fans coment here.