Player ratings: Lecce 0-2 Milan – Saelemaekers useful in Leao absence – Football Italia

Milan picked up their first Serie A win of the season at the second time of asking with a 2-0 victory away against Lecce with a limited set of options available to Massimiliano Allegri. Here are the player ratings after an encouraging evening in Apulia. 

Lecce 0-2 Milan: Player ratings

Milan: Maignan 6; Tomori 6, Gabbia 6.5, Pavlovic 6; Musah 6, Loftus-Cheek 6.5, Modrid 6.5, Fofana 6, Estupinan 5.5; Saelemaekers 7, Gimenez 5. 

Best Milan player: Saelemaekers 7 – A tactically astute performance from the versatile wideman, who lined up as a second striker in the absence of Christian Pulisic and Rafael Leao, and was often asked to drop back and help Pervis Estupinan with his defensive duties as well. Also the taker of the free-kick from which Ruben Loftus-Cheek scored the goal for 1-0. A particularly impressive performance given that the Belgian lined up out of his natural position. 

Worst Milan player: Gimenez 5 – A major chance missed towards the end of the first half. He did end up with the ball in the back of the net in the second half, but that would later be ruled out. Three shots across the 90 and only one on target. Not the most memorable of performances if that is to be his last in a Rossonero shirt, as some outlets in Italy suggest could be the case. 

Coach: Massimiliano Allegri 7 – Given the disappointment of last week’s 2-1 defeat at home against Cremonese, it was important for Milan to not only play well, but pick up a victory on their trip to Lecce. That task was made harder with the absences of Pulisic (from the starting line-up), and for various reasons, Leao, Ardon Jashari and Alex Jimenez. At least €150m in talent missing with those four alone. And in the end, the Rossoneri had the ball in the back of the net four times against Lecce; Only the latter two goals were ‘legal’, though. 

Lecce:  Falcone 6.5; Veiga 5.5, Gaspar 5.5, Tiago Gabriel 5, Gallo 6; Coulibaly 5.5, Ramadani 5.5, Kaba 5; Pierotti 5, Camarda 5, Morente 5.5.