AC Milan stumbled out of the blocks in Serie A with a shock home defeat to promoted Cremonese, and attention now shifts to Friday’s clash at Lecce, where Massimiliano Allegri’s men will be under pressure to set things right.
Against Cremonese it was the fine margins that deserted Milan in a 2-1 loss. Both defence and attack faltered, and the supposed strength of their midfield offered little protection, allowing Cremonese to find space with worrying ease once they broke through the middle.
“Considering the goals we conceded, clearly the defensive phase is where we need to improve. We don’t sense danger effectively,” Allegri admitted.
However, the veteran coach dismissed suggestions that the club needed a last-minute spending spree.
“I don’t think it was an issue of a player missing or not. When you play in Serie A, you meet tough opponents like Cremonese who fully deserved the victory by playing a smart defensive match and we made two errors.”
With only winger Rafael Leao sidelined by a calf injury, Allegri has another chance to find the right balance, but a defeat at Lecce could see Milan’s disappointing start turn into a worrying one for a club with lofty ambitions.
Napoli Striker Concerns
Antonio Conte’s Napoli started the season with a straightforward 2-0 win at Sassuolo but the reigning champions had to rely on midfielders Scott McTominay and Kevin De Bruyne to score the goals, with striker Romelu Lukaku injured.
Against Cagliari at home on Saturday, Lorenzo Lucca is likely to be the lone front man again. With the transfer window closing, several months with a weakened frontline could prove costly for Napoli.
Inter Show Attacking Firepower
Last season’s runners-up Inter Milan fired a warning shot to their potential title rivals with a 5-0 victory at home against Torino. The performance showed their offensive depth as relentless pressure and clinical finishing left no margin for error.
At home against Udinese on Sunday, coach Cristian Chivu has a full squad to select from as Inter look to build on their opening statement win.
Juventus Without Cambiaso
Igor Tudor’s Juventus showed resilience in their opener against Parma, winning 2-0 despite being reduced to 10 men before Dusan Vlahovic added a late second goal.
Juventus now travel to Genoa without fullback Andrea Cambiaso following his red card. Tudor must decide between veteran Filip Kostic or the versatile Weston McKennie to cover the left flank.
Elsewhere, Pisa will host AS Roma in their first Serie A home clash in 34 years, while Cesc Fabregas’ Como—fresh from a 2-0 win over Lazio—travel to Bologna.
