AC Milan vs Lecce in Serie A. The fixture is part of the Regular Season - 5 stage in the 2026 season. Kickoff is scheduled for 2026-09-20T18:45:00Z. The match will be played at venue:unlinked:65646cff4e4dee93 in Milan. This match centre covers lineups, live events, player ratings, team statistics, xG, head-to-head history, and related news for AC Milan and Lecce. On Sportra you can view xG, lineups, match statistics, events, player ratings, predictions, head-to-head history, and related news for this fixture.
Serie A
AC Milan MIL
Lecce LECRecorded meetings: 15 (available previous meetings, not necessarily all-time).
While his teammates continue preparations abroad, the American star is staying in Italy as the club carefully manages his recovery from the injury he suffered during the United States' World Cup campaign. Christian Pulisic has officially returned to Milanello following his extended post-2026 World Cup break, marking the beginning of an important phase ahead of the new Serie A season. While his teammates continue preparations abroad, the American star is staying in Italy as the club carefully manages his recovery from the injury he suffered during the United States’ World Cup campaign. The winger’s return comes with optimism despite the physical setback that ended his tournament. Milan remains confident that one of its most influential attacking players will be ready to make an impact early in the new campaign, although the club is taking every precaution before clearing him for competitive action. Pulisic arrived at Milanello on Thursday morning, one day later than originally scheduled after being granted additional time by the club for logistical reasons. He underwent the customary medical examinations before beginning individual work aimed at rebuilding his fitness after the injury sustained during the World Cup. The American international is not traveling with the Rossoneri on their preseason tour of Australia, instead remaining at the club’s training center to focus entirely on rehabilitation. Mexican striker Santiago Gimenez also returned to Milanello as he continues recovering from his own ankle injury suffered while representing Mexico. View this post on Instagram Pulisic suffered leg fracture in World Cup defeat to Belgium The recovery program follows an injury Pulisic suffered during the United States’ Round of 16 defeat to Belgium at the 2026 World Cup. According to The Athletic, the injury occurred when the American attempted a shot before colliding with Belgian midfielder Youri Tielemans. Although Pulisic initially tried to continue playing, he was eventually forced off the field after struggling with the pain. “I just totally twisted my ankle and my knee in one play,” the 27-year-old explained after the match. Subsequent medical examinations revealed a bone bruise and a microfracture in his right leg, specifically around the tibia-fibula junction, with earlier Italian reports also describing a microfracture to his right fibula. Doctors reportedly believe the injury requires weeks rather than months of recovery, offering encouragement ahead of the domestic season. Meanwhile at Milanello…First day back for Puli & Santi 🎞️ pic.twitter.com/Pfm8qyFDbs— AC Milan (@acmilan) July 30, 2026 Milan’s cautious recovery plan revealed Rather than accelerating his return, Milan has opted for a carefully managed rehabilitation program designed to maximize Pulisic’s long-term fitness. Italian outlets including La Gazzetta dello Sport and MilanNews report that the initial phase focuses on rest before gradually introducing rehabilitation exercises and individual training sessions. The winger is currently working separately from the main squad while recovering from bone edema around the tibia-fibula junction. The club has deliberately avoided placing unnecessary pressure on one of its most important attacking players. Instead of rushing him back into full training, Milan intends to increase his workload only when medical staff are fully satisfied with his progress. Christian Pulisic of AC Milan. Despite the cautious approach, there is growing confidence that Pulisic could be available for Milan’s opening Serie A fixture against Torino on August 23. Reports suggest new head coach Ruben Amorim expects the American to remain one of the team’s key attacking figures this season. However, neither the coaching staff nor the medical department is willing to compromise his long-term condition simply to accelerate his preseason preparations. Italian media indicate the club is even prepared to delay his return beyond the opening weekend if addit
MLS commissioner Don Garber wants to see Christian Pulisic in the league, just as legend Landon Donovan did. MLS commissioner Don Garber made a public pitch for Christian Pulisic to make the jump to Major League Soccer, specifically endorsing NYCFC’s pursuit of the American winger. Speaking on Fox News, Garber didn’t hold back on how big a signing he believes Pulisic would be for the league. “I hope that they could sign a Christian Pulisic. I believe he would be great in our league, and I believe our league would be great for him,” Garber admitted. “Give him an opportunity to do what Landon Donovan did – come to Major League Soccer, spread your wings, be a star,” Garber continued, adding that Pulisic “would be a game changer for our league“. For now, though, Pulisic remains at AC Milan, where his contract runs through June 2027, with the Italian club also holding an option to extend it an additional year. His name has been tied to transfer speculation more than usual this summer, following a rough 2026 World Cup with the United States that ended at the Round of 16 after a loss to Belgium. Christian Pulisic #10 of the United States. (Getty Images) That speculation gained real traction in June, when NYCFC made an approach to sign Pulisic and try to bring him back to his home country. Milan rejected it outright, making clear the winger wasn’t available, a stance club officials have repeated consistently since. Milan’s resolve was tested again more recently when Galatasaray reportedly reached out to gauge Pulisic’s availability, according to Tuttomercatoweb. The Turkish club’s contact amounted to an informational inquiry rather than a formal offer, and Milan gave the same answer they gave NYCFC: Pulisic isn’t for sale. Landon Donovan’s MLS legacy Garber’s comparison points to one of the clearest success stories of an American star returning home in his prime. Landon Donovan originally signed with Bayer Leverkusen in 1999, but he struggled to adapt to life in Germany and spent much of that six-year spell on loan back home with the San Jose Earthquakes. He later returned to Europe for brief loan stints with Bayern Munich and twice with Everton, in 2010 and 2012, impressing enough in the Premier League to leave some wondering whether he’d ever commit to a permanent move abroad. He never did. In 2005, Donovan chose to return to the United States for good, signing with the LA Galaxy, and that decision defined the rest of his career. Rather than chasing a bigger European move, he became the face of MLS: he retired with 145 goals, a tally that stood as the league scoring record until Chris Wondolowski later surpassed it, and he won six MLS Cup titles along with two Supporters’ Shields with the Galaxy in 2010 and 2011. He was named to a record 14 consecutive MLS All-Star Games and won MLS Cup MVP honors twice, in 2003 and 2011, retiring as a champion in his final match, the 2014 MLS Cup final.
Amid AC Milan’s reconstruction, Rafael Leao’s future has remained quite controversial, as it has not yet been defined. In response, head coach Ruben Amorim gives a clear answer, seeking to end the controversy surrounding the Portuguese star. After a disappointing end to the season, AC Milan have decided to begin a reconstruction of their sporting project. Amid this process, Rafael Leao has put his future in doubt, making it clear that he wants to leave. Despite this, he has not found a team yet, creating a lot of debate around his situation. In response, head coach Ruben Amorim has broken his silence on the matter, making his position clear. “He is our player until anything changes, the team comes first. It is not too complicated, for me the team is the most important thing… I will speak with Rafael, with [Goncalo] Ramos, with [Alexis] Saelemaekers, with all the players returning from the World Cup to explain what we will do. I know there is a lot of speculation about some of our players, but they remain ours until anything changes,” Ruben Amorim said, as per Gianluca Dimarzio. At the end of the 2025-26 season, Rafael Leao publicly announced his desire to leave AC Milan. However, he has a contract with the Rossoneri until 2028, so his departure is not easy at all. Instead of creating more noise around the star’s future, Ruben Amorim has looked to keep the focus on the team, opening the door to his continuity if he wants it himself. Amid the criticism, Leao established as one of the Rossoneri’s most important players. In 31 games, he scored 10 goals and provided 3 assists, playing out of position. However, Ruben Amorim could find his best version again, using him as a left winger and giving him more prominence. In addition, he has reportedly not received any offers from the Premier League or LaLiga, his two preferred options. Rafael Leao of AC Milan competes for the ball with Manuel Akanji of FC Inter. Report: Fenerbahce chase Rafael Leao in a €42M move from AC Milan Rafael Leao was determined to leave AC Milan, looking to move to the Premier League or LaLiga. However, he has not received concrete offers from either of the two leagues, as teams are prioritizing other moves in different positions. Therefore, the 27-year-old star only has one real possibility left: Fenerbahce. The Turkish side is reportedly pursuing the Portuguese player in a €42M move. According to Sport Mediaset, Fenerbahce have made a formal offer to AC Milan for Rafael Leao, in a €42M operation. They are proposing a loan deal with a mandatory purchase option worth €35M, along with a €5M fee and €2M in performance-based add-ons. However, the Rossoneri remain firm: A direct transfer worth €50M. In addition, the Turkish side has not yet secured its place in the Champions League, preventing Leao from accepting.
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