Diego Moreira targets Milan starting place after first San Siro goal

Diego Moreira says he is determined to turn his impact from the bench into a regular starting role at Milan after scoring his first goal at San Siro in the 3-0 victory over Lecce.

The Portuguese-born forward came on as a substitute to score Milan’s third goal, maintaining an impressive start to the season. He has now scored three goals in three Serie A appearances, despite playing only 127 minutes.

“I love scoring at San Siro. It means a lot to me and my family,” Moreira told DAZN. “I’m extremely happy to score in front of the fans, to win and to keep a clean sheet.

“Now, with the international break, I want to recover my energy and return with a fresh mentality.”

Moreira has made his mark despite not being selected in the starting XI, and he believes his performances as a substitute can help persuade manager Ruben Amorim to give him a bigger opportunity.

“I’m someone who knows what he wants in life and in his career, so it is important for me to stay focused,” he said. “I don’t start the matches, but I come off the bench and score, so I have to give everything I can for the team.

“I need to keep working and believing in myself. That is how I can show the manager that I am ready to start every match and convince him.”

All three of Moreira’s goals have come in his last 75 minutes on the pitch. He ended his interview by discussing his progress with the Italian language.

“I understand Italian, but I still don’t speak it very well,” he said. “I currently speak four languages, but I hope that by December I will speak five.”

Moreira has Portuguese heritage and has previously played in England for Chelsea and in France for Olympique Lyonnais and Strasbourg.

Milan’s win over Lecce also brought their first Serie A goal in the first half of the season. They enjoyed nearly 70% possession and produced their best performance since Amorim took charge.

The result ended a run in which Milan had drawn with Juventus and Lazio before losing to Benfica in the Europa League, a sequence that had raised doubts around Amorim’s side.

Milan’s first league win in three matches lifted them to 11 points from five games and fifth place, two points behind the leaders. They became the first Milan side since Nils Liedholm’s team in 1963 to collect 11 points from their opening five Serie A matches, with three points awarded for a win.

Lecce remain 12th on six points.

Milan will visit Sassuolo on 11 October, while Lecce host Bologna on the same day.