Inter vs. Lecce: The Match Preview

After the draw against Genoa away in the opening match of the new season, Inter are set to return to San Siro. After more than three months, the Nerazzurri will finally play again in front of their own fans, in an atmosphere that promises to be spectacular.

On Serie A Matchday 2, Inter will face Lecce in a match scheduled for Saturday, 24 August at 20:45 CEST. This clash presents several intriguing facts and stats.

PREVIOUS ENCOUNTERS

This will be the 37th Serie A clash between Inter and Lecce. The Nerazzurri lead the head-to-head with 28 wins compared to 4 for the Giallorossi, and there have been 4 draws. Inter is the team with the most victories against Lecce in Serie A and has also scored the most goals against them in the Italian top flight, with 85 goals.

In the last two seasons, the Nerazzurri have won all four matches against Lecce, scoring 10 goals and conceding only one, resulting in a goal difference of +9.

TIKUS’S FIRST DOUBLE

In the match against Genoa, Marcus Thuram scored his first Serie A double. All 13 of his goals last season were individual. In the previous season, the Nerazzurri forward took four matches to reach a total of two goals.

Moreover, both of Thuram’s goals were scored from inside the penalty area. Last season, Inter scored the most Serie A goals from inside the box, with 81 goals, at least nine more than any other team.

IL TORO AND LECCE

Lautaro Martínez has been involved in four goals in his last three Serie A appearances against Lecce, scoring three goals and providing one assist. Specifically, the Argentine player delivered the decisive pass for Dumfries’s winning goal at the Via del Mare in the 2022/23 season. Later, the Nerazzurri captain scored a goal in the return fixture at San Siro during the same season and netted a double in the most recent encounter between Inter and Lecce, which ended 4-0 in favour of the Nerazzurri at the Giallorossi's home ground. On that day, Lautaro also reached and surpassed the milestone of 100 goals scored in Serie A.

DECISIVE MIDFIELD

Hakan Çalhanoglu has provided 4 assists in Serie A against Lecce, which is the most he has managed against any team. One of these assists came while wearing the Nerazzurri shirt, delivering a cross for Yann-Aurel Bisseck’s header in the 2-0 victory for Inter on 23 December.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan has been involved in 4 goals in 6 Serie A appearances against Lecce, contributing two goals and two assists. Lecce is the only team against which the midfielder has at least two goals and two assists among those currently in the top flight. With Inter, the Armenian scored a goal in the San Siro match during the 2022/23 season.

Davide Frattesi scored one of his 6 Serie A goals with Inter against Lecce.

NICOLÒ'S DEBUT

Inter vs Lecce is a special match for Nicolò Barella as well. The midfielder made his debut for Inter against the Giallorossi in the 4-0 victory at San Siro on 26 August 2019. On that occasion, Barella came on in the 66th minute and also provided the assist for the final goal of the match, scored by Candreva.

DISCIPLINARY SITUATION

SUSPENDED PLAYERS

• Inter: None

• Lecce: None

INTER-LECCE, WHERE TO WATCH

Inter vs Lecce will take place on Saturday, 24 August at 20:45 CESCT and will be broadcast live exclusively on DAZN and Sky. It will be available on Sky Sport Uno (channel 201 on satellite), Sky Sport Calcio (channel 202 on satellite), and Sky Sport 4K (channel 213 on satellite). The match can be followed via the DAZN app on smart TVs and streamed on mobile devices such as PCs, smartphones, tablets through the app, and Sky Go on compatible mobile devices.

UPDATES ON INTER TV

As always, Inter TV will provide updates and coverage before the match, with the latest news leading up to the kickoff. Our Livematch pre-Inter-Lecce will be live from 19:30 CEST and will be visible until 20:15 CEST on Facebook and X through the Club's official channels. Post-match, there will be analysis and interviews.

REFEREE

The referee for Inter vs Lecce, a match for the 2nd round of Serie A, will be Davide Di Marco from the Ciampino section. The assistants will be Preti and Mokhtar, the fourth official will be Fourneau, with VAR Abisso and Assistant VAR Meraviglia.