Preview: Lecce vs Inter Milan - prediction, team news, lineups

Following a significant setback to their European dreams, Inter Milan must return to Serie A duty on Saturday, when they visit Lecce at Stadio Via del Mare.

Inter were humbled by Bodo/Glimt in midweek, but they are still Scudetto favourites after posting six straight wins in Italy’s top flight.

Match preview

Venturing north of the Arctic Circle, Inter took on sub-zero conditions, a plastic pitch and talented opponents when they visited Bodo on Wednesday evening, for the first leg of their Champions League playoff.

Having recently reached the final twice in three seasons - while Bodo/Glimt are knockout stage debutants - the Nerazzurri started the tie as favourites, but a 3-1 defeat now leaves them at risk of missing out on the last 16.

Away from home, they had previously put together a seven-match winning streak across all competitions, while conceding just one goal; yet the notorious Aspmyra Stadion claimed another victim.

Meanwhile, back in Lombardy, city rivals AC Milan were being held to a 1-1 draw by Como, so it was not an entirely dismal night: Inter sit seven points clear of second-placed Milan in Serie A and are well set to reclaim the Italian title.

The most recent - and surely the sweetest - of six consecutive league victories came in last week’s Derby d’Italia, where old foes Juventus were controversially reduced to 10 men before Cristian Chivu’s side prevailed.

After stealing a 3-2 triumph with Piotr Zielinski’s 90th-minute winner, Inter have now won 12 of their last 13 top-flight fixtures - plus eight straight on the road.

So, following a 1-0 home victory over Lecce last month, they will expect to do the double this weekend.

Winless in nine league meetings with Inter, Lecce have gone 222 minutes without even scoring against them at the Via del Mare - a drought that dates back almost four years.

Goals have also proved a problem for the Salentini this season; yet, suddenly producing four in their last two matches has helped keep Eusebio Di Francesco’s team out of the drop zone.

They occupy 17th spot on 24 points - three above the relegation places - following a vital victory in Cagliari on Monday evening.

One week after Lameck Banda’s late goal finally produced their first success of 2026, Lecce posted back-to-back league wins for the first time this term.

Midfielders Ylber Ramadani and Omri Gandelman both scored in the second half, as the Giallorossi left Sardinia with three precious points and moved clear of 18th-placed Fiorentina.

With a modest record of three wins from 13 at home, few would give Lecce much hope of extending that run against Inter - but their visitors may have one eye on other matters.

Lecce Serie A form:

L L D L W W

Inter Milan Serie A form:

W W W W W W

Inter Milan form (all competitions):

W W W W W L

Team News

Chivu must consider whether to rest key men ahead of Bodo/Glimt’s upcoming visit to San Siro, having made some unexpected rotations on Wednesday.

He will certainly make a change up front, as Inter captain Lautaro Martinez has suffered a calf strain, so either Marcus Thuram or Ange-Yoan Bonny could start alongside Francesco Pio Esposito, who scored the Nerazzurri's lone goal in Norway.

In addition to their 14-goal top scorer, the visitors will be without injured wing-back Denzel Dumfries and suspended midfielders Nicolo Barella and Hakan Calhanoglu.

With the latter pair absent, Zielinski will surely start, seeking his 50th Serie A goal - that would take him level with Arkadiusz Milik as Poland's all-time top scorer in the Italian top flight.

Now back from suspension, Banda is Lecce’s leading marksman with three league strikes this season; January signing Gandelman is already just behind him, having found the net in back-to-back matches.

Misfiring strikers Walid Cheddira and Nikola Stulic will again vie for selection up front, while Milan loanee Francesco Camarda joins midfielder Medon Berisha on the sidelines.

Lecce possible starting lineup:

Falcone; Veiga, Gabriel, Gaspar, Gallo; Coulibaly, Ramadani; Pierotti, Gandelman, Banda; Cheddira

Inter Milan possible starting lineup:

Sommer; Bisseck, Akanji, Bastoni; Henrique, Sucic, Zielinski, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Thuram, Esposito