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

Two teams fighting for Serie A survival will clash at Stadio Via del Mare on Monday, as Lecce host Fiorentina.

The pair have been taking different roads in recent weeks, with the Viola climbing clear of danger and their ailing hosts sinking into the drop zone.

Match preview

Despite beating Crystal Palace 2-1 on the night, Fiorentina's latest Conference League campaign reached its end on Thursday evening, as they lost their quarter-final tie 4-2 on aggregate.

With a mountain to climb after the first leg in London, Paolo Vanoli's men at least restored some pride back at Stadio Franchi, but thoughts will now turn to staying afloat in Italy's top flight.

The Viola are closing in on safety thanks to a significant uplift: last week's 1-0 home victory over Lazio - secured by the heroics of captain David de Gea - extended their domestic unbeaten streak to five matches.

That moved the them further even away from the relegation places, and with six rounds remaining they are in complete control of their own destiny.

Remarkably, Fiorentina have almost tripled their points average across the last nine league fixtures, with only reigning champions Napoli and Scudetto favourites Inter Milan claiming more points during that period.

Now, after back-to-back 1-0 wins, the Tuscan club could record three consecutive Serie A victories for the first time since February 2025 - and recent history suggests they can do so.

Across their last five visits to the Via del Mare, they have prevailed three times while posting an aggregate score of 13-5.

Amid Fiorentina's mid-season struggles, Lecce came out on top in this season's reverse fixture, with Medon Berisha's lone strike proving enough to secure success at the Franchi.

The Salentini could really do with repeating that result on Monday evening, as four straight defeats have sent them back into the drop zone - they had won three of their previous five.

A familiar struggle to find the net has returned, as Eusebio Di Francesco's side have done so just once during that downturn - no team has scored fewer goals across Europe's top five leagues this season.

With the bottom two surely doomed - and Cagliari and Fiorentina both threatening to pull clear - it looks likely that Lecce will fight Cremonese to avoid finishing 18th in the final Serie A standings.

Following last week's 2-0 loss in Bologna, the Giallorossi have been beaten 11 times in 16 outings this calendar year, tending to crumble whenever they concede first.

Along with Cremonese, they have gained the fewest points from losing positions - only one so far - and that will concern Di Francesco, who faces the prospect of adding yet another relegation to his CV.

Lecce Serie A form:

L W L L L L

Fiorentina Serie A form:

L D W D W W

Fiorentina form (all competitions):

W D W L W W

Team News

Both Niccolo Fortini and long-term absentee Tariq Lamptey are still unavailable, while Fiorentina's top scorer Moise Kean continues to search for full fitness.

Kean and versatile wide man Fabiano Parisi remain doubts, but Dodo will return after serving a UEFA suspension and injured midfielder Marco Brescianini has resumed training.

Meanwhile, Lecce are still without Berisha, Francesco Camarda and Kialonda Gaspar; on-loan winger Riccardo Sottil may miss out on meeting his parent club because of a persistent back problem.

Togo international Sadik Fofana has just suffered a serious knee injury and could be sidelined for several months.

Without Camarda, misfiring strikers Nikola Stulic and Walid Cheddira will vie for selection up front - they have scored just four league goals between them this season.

Lecce possible starting lineup:

Falcone; Veiga, Siebert, Gabriel, Gallo; Ramadani, Coulibaly; Pierotti, Gandelman, Banda; Stulic

Fiorentina possible starting lineup:

De Gea; Dodo, Pongracic, Ranieri, Gosens; Ndour, Fagioli, Mandragora; Solomon, Piccoli, Gudmundsson