Füllkrug, who scored his first goal for AC Milan, thanked Saelemaekers for his excellent assist.

AC Milan defeated Lecce 1-0 in a key match of the 21st round of the 2025/26 Serie A season, thanks to a goal from Füllkrug. Füllkrug, who scored his first goal for the Rossoneri, expressed his gratitude for Saelemaekers' excellent assist and his delight at earning the team's trust.

In the 76th minute of the second half, Saelemaekers received the ball on the right wing and chipped it into the box, where Füllkrug headed it in to give AC Milan a 1-0 lead over Lecce.

AC Milan ultimately defeated Lecce 1-0 at the San Siro. After three wins and two draws in their last five matches, AC Milan currently sits in second place in the standings with 46 points, three points behind their city rivals Inter Milan, making the title race incredibly tight.

The 32-year-old German striker Füllkrug was loaned to AC Milan from West Ham United in the English Premier League earlier this month and scored his first goal for AC Milan in this match against Lecce, which was also the first time in his professional career that he scored in Serie A.

In an interview, Füllkrug said, "Of course I wanted to play. I was ready and had been waiting for this opportunity. We were attacking a lot at the time, and I felt it was a good time to make a change."

"In the end, I received an incredible assist from Saelemaekers. For a striker, receiving a pass like that is a dream come true."

Füllkrug also said, "I feel great right now, I'm very grateful to be here, and I appreciate the trust the team has placed in me. As a striker, that's the kind of trust you need. My teammates have been very welcoming, and the atmosphere in the locker room is fantastic, which is why I'm 100% happy right now."

In addition, AC Milan midfielder Saelemaekers said, "I always try to contribute to the team and deliver the best passes to the forwards, and I am very happy with this assist. We all know that Füllkrug is an excellent striker who has proven himself in the past. Having a player with this kind of quality in the squad is very important for us."

Regarding his own condition, Saelemaekers said, "I feel a bit of a stretch in my adductor muscles and I don't want to take any risks, so it would be better to have a teammate who is 100% fit and fight for the team in the final stages."