Preview: Genoa vs Lecce - prediction, team news, lineups

Meeting at Marassi for their Serie A season opener, Genoa and Lecce will lock horns on Saturday.

While the Grifone claimed mid-table security by making a managerial switch last term, their visitors narrowly survived a familiar fight against the drop; now, they both aim to climb the standings in 2025-26.

Match preview

Following a slow start to last season - their second since returning to Serie A - Genoa parted ways with promotion-winning boss Alberto Gilardino and appointed a more high-profile coach to turn things around.

Patrick Vieira arrived in November, and his side initially surged away from danger, winning five times during a run of six home games without defeat.

However, hopes of a top-half finish were then extinguished as the Grifone relaxed once safe from relegation, and they ended up 13th after a final-day win in Bologna.

Amid a summer of change all around Italy's top flight, Genoa have remained fairly stable during the off-season, and Vieira's men recently returned to competitive action with a convincing 3-0 win over Vicenza in the Coppa Italia.

Though they have only picked up one point from their last three Serie A openers, the Rossoblu now start the 2025-26 campaign with a winnable fixture.

Unbeaten in nine home games against this week's opponents, they have won all of the teams' last three meetings at Marassi by the same 2-1 scoreline.

Indeed, Lecce have prevailed in just two top-tier contests between the clubs - both back home at Via del Mare - while losing 10 and drawing six times to date.

The Salentini will, though, just be glad to visit Stadio Ferraris this weekend, having survived another close scrape with relegation in May.

Despite going down to 10 men, a shock win at Lazio on last term's final matchday saw them stay up at Empoli's expense: one week after ending a four-month wait for maximum points, the Giallorossi extended their three-season stay in Serie A by posting successive league wins for the first time in a year.

Yet, as part of Italy's annual coaching carousel, Marco Giampaolo still departed, with Eusebio Di Francesco soon returning for his second spell in charge.

Following consecutive relegations with Frosinone and Venezia, the ex-Roma coach recently began his new role with a 2-1 cup win over Juve Stabia - but precedent suggests he cannot bank on making a fast start in Serie A.

Having just sold their star striker, Lecce go into Saturday's clash having won only one - and lost 12 - of 19 opening games in their whole top-flight history.

Genoa form (all competitions): W

Lecce form (all competitions): W

Team News

Two of Patrick Vieira's new signings - Inter Milan-owned starlet Valentin Carboni and Romania captain Nicolae Stanciu - both scored in last week's cup win, and they could feature in Genoa's starting XI once again.

At the back, former loanee Leo Ostigard has returned to Liguria and - following Koni De Winter's departure for AC Milan - could partner Johan Vasquez in central defence.

Meanwhile, last term's top scorer Andrea Pinamonti headed back to promoted Sassuolo, so Lorenzo Colombo - who produced five goals from 33 Serie A appearances for Lecce in 2022-23 - should start up front against his old club.

Only Caleb Ekuban and Danish defender Sebastian Otoa are sidelined by injury for the hosts, while Lecce are missing long-term absentees Gaby Jean and Filip Marchwinski; key forward Santiago Pierotti must serve a suspension.

Furthermore, captain and defensive rock Federico Baschirotto has joined Cremonese, and they recently lost Nikola Krstovic to Atalanta BC: the latter hit double figures for goals and attempted the most shots of any player in Serie A last season.

Still, the Giallorossi have added Milan prospect Francesco Camarda and Fiorentina loanee Riccardo Sottil to their squad this summer - both should feature in the final third.

Genoa possible starting lineup: Leali; Norton-Cuffy, Ostigard, Vasquez, Martin; Frendrup, Masini; Carboni, Stanciu, Gronbaek; Colombo

Lecce possible starting lineup: Falcone; Kouassi, Gabriel, Gaspar, Gallo; Coulibaly, Pierret, Helgason; Morente, Camarda, Sottil