Milan found a more recognisable version of themselves against Lecce, with Luka Modric at the centre of a performance that offered Ruben Amorim something precious after an unsettled summer: a set of dependable foundations.
The result was helped by a Lecce side that offered little resistance, but Milan’s authority cannot be reduced to the visitors’ shortcomings. From the opening phase to the final whistle, the Rossoneri controlled the game, kept the ball and gave Modric the conditions in which he remains most influential.
Amorim’s senior figures provide a reference point
There had been growing discussion around Milanello about the experienced players who had slipped from prominence in recent selections. Amorim had already explained that choices which appear puzzling from outside can be shaped by details he sees during training. Even so, the line-ups of recent weeks had left questions.
Against Lecce, the alternative was clear. Milan looked stronger with Modric, Adrien Rabiot, Christian Pulisic and Mario Gila forming the principal reference points, with Alexis Saelemaekers also close to that core.
Amorim has made clear that matches based purely on running are not ideal for Modric. Possession is essential if the Croatian is to operate at his best, and Milan supplied it here. He combined defensive awareness with calm, intelligent work in the first stages of possession, directing a side that rarely surrendered control.
Rabiot, although not yet at full fitness, dominated the midfield contest against the Puglian visitors and added a goal. Gila delivered the aggression and ball-carrying purpose Milan expected when he was signed, pressing opponents hard before driving forward whenever space opened.
Pulisic’s long wait ends with a starting opportunity
- Pulisic’s previous official goal had come on 28 December 2025.
- After that, he endured a long scoreless period with Milan and at the World Cup, alongside further physical problems.
- His league start had been particularly difficult: he had not played a minute, while Amorim pointed to Cisse as an option and said Pulisic’s frustration at not playing was a quality he appreciated.
- Short appearances against Lazio and Benfica offered more encouraging signs.
- His first start then brought the breakthrough, ending the difficult spell and helping Milan resemble the team Amorim has been trying to build.
Pulisic was the standout figure on the afternoon. His return to the scoresheet carried more than individual relief; it gave Milan another proven player capable of turning possession and control into a decisive contribution.
A demanding October still awaits
There is no certainty over how many matches Modric will play between now and the end of the season, particularly under a coach willing to alter his selections. Milan will soon need rotation rather than a fixed eleven: after the international break, the second half of October brings seven fixtures in 18 days, with no interval longer than three days between matches.
For now, however, the Lecce performance offered reassurance. A squad still being assembled after a turbulent summer has identified its senior pillars. Modric, Rabiot, Gila and Pulisic brought quality and experience when Milan needed to step away from uncertainty, while Saelemaekers remains another useful point of continuity.
