AC Milan 1-0 Lecce Player Ratings: Super Sub Niclas Fullkrug's Header Clinches Narrow Win for Hosts

AC Milan clinched a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Lecce at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in a closely contested Serie A match. The hosts were forced to show patience for most of the game.

Milan dominated possession and created several chances. However, poor finishing and strong goalkeeping from Lecce FC kept the score level for a long period. The visitors defended in numbers and blocked many attempts.

Lecce’s defensive approach worked effectively for more than 70 minutes. AC Milan struggled to find the final pass despite their control of the match.

The decisive moment came late in the game. Substitute Niclas Füllkrug scored with a header from close range. His goal sparked celebrations among the home supporters.

The result highlighted Milan’s persistence and Lecce’s defensive discipline. One moment of quality proved enough to separate the two sides.

Key Takeaways

1. Lecce resisted wave after wave of Milan pressure with disciplined defending and sharp goalkeeping.
2. AC Milan struggled for over 70 minutes to turn possession into a breakthrough.
3. Niclas Füllkrug came off the bench to nod home the decisive late winner.

AC Milan Player Ratings vs Lecce

Here are AC Milan player ratings from the Serie A game:

Goalkeeper

Mike Maignan - 6.5: Had a very quiet evening between the sticks. Lecce hardly troubled him, and he was more of a spectator for large parts of the game. His distribution was clean and tidy, with an impressive 97% pass accuracy. He commanded his area when needed but this was one of the easier clean sheets he'll ever keep.

Defenders

Koni De Winter - 7.0: A very busy performance from the defender. He was on the ball constantly, racking up 116 touches and completing 100 passes. We noticed his aerial dominance, winning 7 of his 10 aerial duels. However, he picked up a needless yellow card and sometimes looked a little rash in the challenge. A solid, if slightly imperfect, display.

Fikayo Tomori - 7.0: A standard, no-nonsense performance from Tomori. He was defensively sound, making three tackles and three clearances. He did what was asked of him without any fuss. Didn't do anything spectacular, but you don't always need to. A reliable partner in the backline.

Matteo Gabbia - 7.5: What a paradox of a performance. Defensively, he was a rock, making 8 ball recoveries and 6 clearances. Offensively, he was a huge threat from set-pieces but managed to miss two big chances. He could have had a hat-trick of headers on another day. His frustration was visible, but his overall contribution was immense.

Pervis Estupiñán - 7.0: A balanced game from the full-back. He got forward well, creating three chances and delivering a perfect cross. Defensively, he was solid, winning most of his duels and making some key tackles and interceptions. A very modern full-back performance that offered width and stability.

Midfielders

Samuele Ricci - 8.0: Until he was substituted, he was the best creative force on the pitch. He pulled the strings from midfield, creating four chances including one big chance. His vision and passing range were a joy to watch. It was a surprise to see him taken off, as he looked the most likely to unlock Lecce's defence.

Adrien Rabiot - 7.5: A real engine in the middle of the park. He was everywhere, breaking up play with tackles and driving the team forward. He won 7 duels and recovered the ball 7 times, showing his tenacity. He even popped up with two created chances, showcasing his all-around ability.

Ardon Jashari - 7.5: Kept the tempo for Milan with his crisp and accurate passing. He was a calming presence, rarely giving the ball away and making smart defensive contributions. It was a shame his night ended early due to injury, as he was having an excellent game.

Forwards

Rafael Leão - 6.5: A frustrating night for the attacker. He showed flashes of his brilliance with his dribbling but was caught offside three times, killing promising attacks. From our perspective, his decision-making in the final third was just slightly off. You always feel he's about to do something special, but it didn't quite happen for him here.

Christian Pulisic - 6.0: A disappointing outing. He had a couple of shots saved but also missed a big chance that he really should have buried. He seemed to drift in and out of the game and was caught offside twice. We expected more from a player of his calibre, and he was rightly substituted.

Alexis Saelemaekers - 8.5: The highest-rated player and our man of the match. He was a constant thorn in Lecce's side, and his persistence paid off with a beautiful assist for the winning goal. Created three chances in total and was unlucky not to score himself. His injury-enforced substitution was a sour note on an otherwise brilliant performance.

Substitutes

Niclas Füllkrug - 8.0: The match-winner. He came on and did exactly what a substitute striker is supposed to do. He found space in the box and clinically finished his only chance of the game. A perfect, game-changing cameo.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek - 6.0: Came on for Ricci but didn't have the same creative impact. He added physical presence but didn't see much of the ball in dangerous areas.

Zachary Athekame - 6.0: Replaced the injured Saelemaekers and helped see out the win. Not on long enough to make a major impact.

Christopher Nkunku - 6.5: Looked lively after coming on for Leão and forced a good save late on. Showed some promising touches.

Luka Modric - 6.0: A late replacement for Jashari, he helped control the midfield in the final minutes.

Manager

M. Allegri - 8.0: His changes won the match. Recognizing the need for a different kind of threat, he brought on Füllkrug, and it paid off immediately. He managed the game perfectly, securing a vital three points when it looked like it might be slipping away. A tactical victory.

Lecce Player Ratings vs AC Milan

Take a look at Lecce player ratings from the Milan vs Lecce game:

Goalkeeper

Wladimiro Falcone - 8.0: An outstanding performance. He made five saves, all from inside the box, and kept his team in the match for so long. He was commanding, brave, and incredibly agile. It felt personal for him. He was desperately unlucky to be on the losing side and can hold his head high.

Defenders

Corrie Ndaba - 6.5: A solid and determined display. He made four tackles and wasn't easily beaten. He stuck to his task well and was part of a defensive unit that frustrated Milan for large periods. A decent outing against top-quality opposition.

Jamil Siebert - 7.5: A warrior at the back. He put his body on the line, blocking two shots and making a crucial last-man tackle. He was a colossal presence, though his passing was a bit wayward. His defensive heroics were a key reason the game remained 0-0 for so long.

Antonino Gallo - 6.5: Did his job effectively before being subbed. He made four clearances and was positionally sound. He didn't offer much going forward, but his defensive duties were his priority, and he handled them well.

Tiago Gabriel - 7.0: The calmer head in the backline. He read the game well, making six clearances and an interception. His passing was reliable, and he rarely looked flustered under pressure. A composed and impressive performance.

Midfielders

Omri Gandelman - 5.5: A very tough evening for the midfielder. From our perspective, he really struggled with the physicality of the game, losing 10 of his 15 duels. He was bypassed too easily and offered little protection to his defence. A performance to forget.

Ylber Ramadani - 6.0: He fought hard in midfield, winning a decent number of tackles and duels. However, his discipline let him down with a late yellow card for a bad foul. He was a disruptive presence but lacked quality on the ball.

Lassana Coulibaly - 6.5: A tidy, if unspectacular, performance. He kept his passing simple and protected the ball well. He worked hard defensively but didn't provide any attacking spark. A functional role played effectively.

Forwards

Nikola Stulic - 6.0: He worked hard and won a surprising number of aerial duels but his end product was lacking. He missed the target with two shots and gave away too many fouls. He needed to be more clinical and less combative.

Riccardo Sottil - 6.5: Looked like Lecce's brightest spark before he was substituted early in the second half. He was neat on the ball and created a chance. It was a strange decision to take him off when he seemed to be causing problems.

Santiago Pierotti - 6.0: His work rate cannot be faulted, as shown by his five tackles. However, he was anonymous as an attacking threat. He spent more time defending than attacking, which summed up Lecce's approach to the game.

Substitutes

Lameck Banda - 6.0: Came on for Sottil but failed to provide the same spark. Worked hard but had little impact.

Tete Morente - 5.5: Replaced Stulic but was largely anonymous and committed a foul shortly after coming on.

Konan N’Dri - 6.0: A late sub, had no time to influence the game.

Youssef Maleh - 6.0: Came on for the carded Ramadani to add fresh legs in midfield.

Manager

E. Di Francesco - 6.5: His defensive game plan was nearly perfect. His team was organized, disciplined, and incredibly hard to break down. However, they offered almost nothing in attack, and his substitutions didn't change the game in their favour. A valiant effort that ultimately fell short.

Man of the Match

Alexis Saelemaekers was the player of the match for his match-defining assist.

Worst Performer

Omri Gandelman looked off in the Lecce midfield.