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·23 September 2025

Coppa Italia | Milan 3-0 Lecce – Rossoneri cruise through cup test

Milan cruised to a 3-0 victory over Lecce in the second round of the Coppa Italia thanks to goals from Santiago Gimenez, Christopher Nkunku and Christian Pulisic in a game that was made easier for the Rossoneri thanks to Jamil Siebert’s 18th-minute red card.

There was no Massimiliano Allegri on the dugout for Milan as he served the second match of his two-game Coppa Italia suspension. There were full Rossoneri debuts for Koni De Winter and Christopher Nkunku, while summer signing Samuele Ricci was brought into the side to replace Luka Modric.

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Lecce made 10 changes to their side, and went with an attack led by Rossoneri loanee Francesco Camarda.

You can see how the action unfolded on the Football Italia Liveblog.

MILAN, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 23: Christopher Nkunku inflates a balloon as he celebrates with teammates after scoring to give the side a 2-0 lead during the Coppa Italia Frecciarossa Round of 16 match between AC Milan and US Lecce at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on September 23, 2025 in San Siro, Italy. (Photo by Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images)

The Rossoneri came out of the blocks firing and created a number of promising opportunities for themselves within the opening exchanges. Gimenez and Ruben Loftus-Cheek were both denied from close range in the second minute, the Mexican fired off target from just a few yards out, and Christopher Nkunku struck the wrong side of the post, all before the 10th minute.

Lecce were then reduced to 10 men after a VAR check in the 18th minute. Siebert brought down Nkunku right on the edge of his area, and was initially shown a yellow card, which was later upgraded to red for the denial of a clear and obvious goalscoring opportunity.

It took Milan less than two minutes to capitalise. Adrien Rabiot found Davide Bartesaghi on the left flank, and the Rossoneri full-back provided an excellent low cross for Gimenez to stab home for his first competitive goal of the season.

MILAN, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 23: Santiago Gimenez scores to give the side a 1-0 lead during the Coppa Italia Frecciarossa Round of 16 match against US Lecce at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on September 23, 2025 in San Siro, Italy. (Photo by Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images)

Milan would go on to hit the woodwork once more before the end of the first half, this time through Rabiot, who hit the crossbar at full stretch after a teasing ball in from Alexis Saelemaekers.

Loftus-Cheek went on to strike the post almost immediately after half-time: The third time Milan had hit the woodwork in just over 45 minutes. Nkunku blazed over from close range about a minute later.

The Frenchman was able to pull out his trademark celebration shortly afterwards, as he leapt acrobatically to apply an emphatic finish to Saelemaekers’s cross from a Milan corner.

Second half substitute Pulisic was the next to find the net for Milan: Timing his run to perfection to get a first-time finish to Youssouf Fofana’s cross in from the right flank. He had only been on the pitch for a matter of minutes before then.

The Rossoneri will go on to face Lazio in the round of 16 on December 3.

Milan 3-0 Lecce

Gimenez 20’, Nkunku 51’, Pulisic 64′.

MILAN, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 23: Christian Pulisic celebrates after scoring to give the side a 3-0 lead during the Coppa Italia Frecciarossa Round of 16 match between AC Milan and US Lecce at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on September 23, 2025 in San Siro, Italy. (Photo by Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images)