Lecce vs Inter Milan Preview – Prediction, how to watch & line-ups | OneFootball

Last season’s Serie A runners-up Inter Milan head to Stadio Via del Mare to take on newly-promoted Lecce in their opening 2022/23 showdown.

Simone Inzaghi’s side surrendered the Scudetto to bitter rivals AC Milan last season, as not even a 3-0 romping of Sampdoria on the final matchday helped them retain the crown.

But a mere two-point gap between the sides has inspired an impressive transfer window at Giuseppe Meazza, with Romelu Lukaku re-joining the club on a season-long loan.

Lukaku’s blockbuster return from Chelsea aids Inter’s bid to put the second star on their shirt by becoming the only side next to Juventus to win 20+ Serie A titles.

In addition to the Belgium international, Kristjan Asllani, Raoul Bellanova and Henrikh Mkhitaryan have teamed up with Inzaghi’s side to bolster the Nerazzurri’s chances in the title pursuit.

After reassembling the deadly attacking duo Lautaro Martinez-Lukaku, Inter come into the new season as warm favourites to reclaim domestic supremacy.

There’s a feeling that minnows Lecce cannot do much to spoil their visitors’ day-one party in their first Serie A outing following a two-year absence.

Match Preview

Lecce

A hard-fought 1-0 home triumph over Pordenone on the final day of last season sealed Lecce’s Serie B title, marking their 13th home league win as they racked up more home points than any other side in the division.

However, Marco Baroni’s men experienced a dreadful start to the new competitive season. An extra-time defeat to lower-league Cittadella crashed them out of the opening Coppa Italia round last week.

A sub-par performance in the cup game casts doubt on Lecce’s effort to extend a three-game unbeaten Serie A streak against Inter at Via del Mare (W1, D2).

Inter Milan

Odds-on favourites to take home all three points, Inter are looking to maintain their outstanding run of 11 unbeaten day-one meetings with newly-promoted sides (W9, D2).

As last season’s third-best away side in Serie A, it comes as no surprise that the Nerazzurri have won four of their five most recent league matches on hostile turf (L1).

With Lukaku back, Inter look destined to better last season’s tally of 84 Serie A goals, which was, nevertheless, a comfortable league high.

Lecce vs Inter Milan Potential Line-ups

Lecce (3-4-3): Wladimiro Falcone; Valentin Gendrey, Alexis Blin, Kastriot Dermaku; Gianluca Frabotta, Kristijan Bistrovic, Morten Hjulmand, Kristoffer Askildsen; Gabriel Strefezza, Assan Ceesay, Francesco Di Mariano.

Inter Milan (3-5-2): Samir Handanovic; Milan Skriniar, Stefan de Vrij, Alessandro Bastoni; Denzel Dumfries, Nicolò Barella, Marcelo Brozovic, Hakan Calhanoglu, Federico Dimarco; Romelu Lukaku, Lautaro Martinez.

How to Watch?

Lecce vs Inter, alongside all other Serie A fixtures, is available to watch online via Serie A live streams.

Lecce vs Inter Milan Prediction

Lecce comes into the new top-flight season, aiming to play down their status as whipping boys but couldn’t have been handed a sterner assignment on their return to Serie A.

Immensely strengthened over the summer, Inzaghi’s men will be out to prove why many consider them the leading candidates to dethrone Milan this season.

We tip Inter to issue a statement of intent at the Via del Mare.

Lecce 1-4 Inter Milan