The 3-0 win over Lecce in the fifth round of Serie A allows Ruben Amorim’s Milan to head into the international break with greater confidence. Beyond the result, the Rossoneri delivered a convincing performance in every aspect, while also introducing some tactical changes that could shape the course of their season.
Milan, Amorim's 'new formation'
Although on paper it was still a 3-4-2-1, Milan’s shape against Lecce was much closer to a 4-2-3-1. During the build-up, Gila moved into the right-back position, while Estupinan was much more restrained on the left compared to previous games. Modric often dropped between the two centre-backs to initiate attacks, giving Milan’s build-up greater fluidity.
"That choice was made to encourage Chukwueze's runs," De Winter explained at half-time. On several occasions, the Nigerian winger moved inside, finding both time and space behind the Lecce defence. It remains to be seen whether the Portuguese coach will use this system again after the international break or whether it was simply a tactical solution designed to break down the Giallorossi's defensive structure, as pointed out via Pianeta Milan.
The search for depth
Against Lecce, perhaps more than ever, we finally saw one of the key principles of Amorim's football: the midfielders, attacking midfielders, wide players and striker continually attacked the space in behind. These movements were something the opposition defence never managed to read properly, allowing Milan to create several chances and opening up the so-called "half-spaces".
The opening goal came precisely from Pulisic attacking the defensive line. He timed his run perfectly to beat Siebert and then finished past Falcone with his quality.
Estupinan the organiser, Moreira the game-changing wild card
Before kick-off, many were already questioning the decision to start Estupinan again. The Ecuadorian wing-back, coming off a poor performance against Benfica in the Europa League, looked far more comfortable in this new tactical role.
"I will pick a starting XI knowing that I will want to push harder in the second half," Amorim had said on the eve of Milan-Lecce.
That is why Diego Moreira once again started on the bench. He is the Rossoneri coach's tactical key for disrupting the opposition's structure and adding greater spark to Milan's attack. Introduced in place of the former Brighton player in the 68th minute, the Belgian scored his third goal of the season, and his first at San Siro.
