Inter Milan's Italian coach Simone Inzaghi looks on before the UEFA Champions League last 16 first leg football match Inter Milan vs Atletico Madrid at the San Siro stadium in Milan on February 20, 2024. (Photo by GABRIEL BOUYS / AFP) (Photo by GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP via Getty Images)
Inter Milan's Italian coach Simone Inzaghi looks on before the UEFA Champions League last 16 first leg football match Inter Milan vs Atletico Madrid at the San Siro stadium in Milan on February 20, 2024. (Photo by GABRIEL BOUYS / AFP) (Photo by GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP via Getty Images)

Inter coach Simone Inzaghi is expected to rotate heavily against Lecce, leaving Alessandro Bastoni, Benjamin Pavard, Nicolò Barella and Hakan Calhanoglu on the bench.

It kicks off at 17:00 GMT at the Stadio Via Del Mare.

The Nerazzurri have travelled to Lecce without the injured Marcus Thuram, Francesco Acerbi, Juan Cuadrado and Stefano Sensi. Yann Sommer has a fever, so he has remained in Milan too. This means Emil Audero will make his Serie A debut with Inter, while Alexis Sanchez is favourite to start with Lautaro Martinez in attack.

Inzaghi will rotate heavily in Lecce, leaving many regular starters on the bench. Carlos Augusto will replace Bastoni in a three-man defence, Kristjan Asllani will start in central midfield in place of Calhanoglu, while Davide Frattesi will get Barella’s spot.

Lecce are without the suspended Patrick Dorgu and Marin Pongracic, plus the injured Federico Brancolini and Kastriot Dermaku.

Roberto Piccoli or Nikola Krstović will start in attack for the Salentini.

Lecce-Inter, probable line-ups

Lecce (4-3-3): Falcone; Gendrey, Baschirotto, Touba, Gallo; Kaba, Ramadani, Rafia; Almqvist, Krstovic, Banda.

Inter (3-5-2): Audero; Bisseck, de Vrij, Carlos Augusto; Dumfries, Frattesi, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Lautaro, Sanchez.

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