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

Lecce will be aiming to put further distance between themselves and the Serie A relegation zone when they welcome a stuttering Como side to Stadio Via del Mare on Saturday afternoon.

However, history is firmly against the hosts, who are still searching for their first top-flight goal or point against the visitors, having lost both meetings last season by a comprehensive 5-0 aggregate scoreline.

Match preview

Lecce return to home soil with renewed belief after securing a crucial three points in their most recent league outing, making it two wins from their last three Serie A matches – their most productive spell of the campaign so far.

A narrow 1-0 victory over fellow strugglers Pisa helped ease immediate relegation concerns, opening up a four-point cushion over the bottom three and providing a timely boost as the season approaches a pivotal period.

Despite that upturn, consistency has largely been elusive for the Giallorossi this season, as building momentum remains the key challenge heading into Saturday, with Lecce previously failing on three occasions to follow up a positive result with back-to-back league wins.

On two of those occasions, confidence was halted by frustrating goalless home draws against Sassuolo and Verona, moments that stalled their progress, making this weekend’s test against Como representing another opportunity to show genuine growth.

Encouragingly, Lecce’s recent form at Stadio Via del Mare suggests improvement, having won their last two home matches and are unbeaten in their last three there, collecting seven points from a possible nine.

Securing three consecutive home wins in Serie A would be a notable milestone, something Lecce have not achieved since September 2023, underlining the importance of this fixture in their survival push.

Como, however, have historically posed problems, losing just once to Lecce this decade, while the Blue and Whites claimed two clean-sheet victories in their first top-flight clashes last season.

However, the visitors arrive in southern Italy under very different circumstances to those that defined their impressive start to the campaign, as momentum has stalled following successive defeats without scoring, a run that has seen them slip out of the top six.

Losses to Inter Milan and Roma were not without positive elements, but head coach Cesc Fabregas will be keen to halt the slide before it develops into a deeper slump, making the timing of this trip potentially awkward.

Another issue is Como’s away form, which has been unconvincing –  with just one win from their last six league matches on the road, while goals have been particularly hard to come by, as they have failed to score in four of those outings, a lack of cutting edge that has left them six points adrift of the top four at the start of the round.

Lecce Serie A form:

Como Serie A form:

Team News

© Imago / Gribaudi-ImagePhoto

Lecce are dealing with a lengthy injury list, with Gaby Jean, Filip Marchwinski and Balthazar Pierret all sidelined. 

Medon Berisha was forced off just 11 minutes into the win over Pisa and is expected to spend time on the sidelines.

In addition, Kialonda Gaspar, Lassana Coulibaly and Lameck Banda are all unavailable after travelling to the Africa Cup of Nations with Angola, Mali and Zambia respectively. 

Nikola Stulic, who came off the bench to score his first goal for the club last time out, could now push for a starting role.

Como will be without Assane Diao and Alberto Dossena after recent injuries, joining Alvaro Morata and Edoardo Goldaniga on the treatment table. 

Meanwhile, Jayden Addai, Sergi Roberto and Maxence Caqueret are all doubts due to varying injury issues.

Much will depend on Nico Paz, who has been involved in 10 Serie A goals this season, with his creativity likely to be central to any attacking threat the visitors can muster.

Lecce possible starting lineup:

Falcone; Veiga, Gaspar, Gabriel, Ndaba; Ramadani, Sala; Pierotti, Kaba, Sottil; Stulic

Como possible starting lineup:

Falcone; Veiga, Gaspar, Gabriel, Ndaba; Ramadani, Sala; Pierotti, Kaba, Sottil; Stulic

We say: Lecce 1-1 Como

Lecce arrive with confidence firmly on their side, particularly at Via del Mare where they are pushing for a third straight home victory, and that momentum is boosted by Como’s recent struggles away from home, although the visitors still have enough quality to make this a competitive contest and potentially take something from the game.

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