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

Having endured tough starts to 2026, both Lazio and Lecce will be desperate to claim maximum points when they meet at Stadio Via del Mare on Saturday.

While the Biancocelesti slipped further behind Serie A's top six with a humbling home defeat on Monday, Lecce have lost four straight games to slide further towards the drop zone.

Match preview

Losing more ground to their fellow European hopefuls, Lazio were well beaten by Como on Monday evening, failing to recover from going one goal down within two minutes at Stadio Olimpico.

Seeking their first back-to-back league wins for almost a year, Maurizio Sarri's men instead suffered their second defeat to the Lariani this season, ultimately losing 3-0.

Not only was that a tough result to swallow for fans of the Biancocelesti, but it also continued an ongoing trend of falling short in bigger matches.

This term, Lazio have only accrued two points from seven Serie A games against top-six opposition, scoring just once and conceding 10 goals in the process.

Now nine points behind Como - and 14 adrift of city rivals Roma, who occupy Italy's last Champions League place - Sarri's side cannot afford another slip-up on Saturday.

This weekend, Lazio will target their fourth win from five meetings with Lecce, following a comfortable 2-0 home victory in November's reverse fixture.

Aside from a rare success on the final day of last season - which ultimately cost Lazio a place in Europe - Lecce have struggled to pick up points against the Biancocelesti.

That 1-0 result in Rome also kept the Salentini up, prolonging their current spell in Serie A to four years - already a club record for the southern side.

However, their stay at Calcio's top table is now at some risk, as four consecutive defeats have left Eusebio Di Francesco's team just above the relegation zone.

Last time out, Lecce lost at San Siro for the second time in under a week, following defeat to Inter Milan with another reverse against AC Milan - both by the same 1-0 scoreline.

Summing up their lack of firepower, the Giallorossi have failed to even score in four of their last five away games; now back on home turf at the Via del Mare, they must continue a tough run of fixtures.

In addition to both Milan clubs, Di Francesco's men have already met Roma and Juventus since the start of 2026, and despite all their woes, Lazio will present a stern test.

Lecce Serie A form:

L D L L L L

Lazio Serie A form:

D D L D W L

Team News

One of the league's busier teams in the winter transfer window, Lazio have recently handed debuts to Kenneth Taylor and Petar Ratkov, the latter of whom will vie with Tijjani Noslin to start up front.

Sarri may have limited options in midfield, as Matias Vecino and Toma Basic have yet to fully recover from injuries, Nicolo Rovella has only just returned from a long layoff and Danilo Cataldi must serve a one-match ban.

Fisayo Dele-Bashiru could fill in after picking up an AFCON bronze medal with Nigeria; Senegal striker Boulaye Dia should also return to the bench.

While Patric and Samuel Gigot complete the visitors' absence list, Lecce will be missing Medon Berisha and Francesco Camarda through injury, plus Kialonda Gaspar due to suspension.

In better news for Di Francesco, Danilo Veiga is now back from a ban, so the Brazilian will regain his place at right-back.

While Walid Cheddira is set to arrive on loan - as cover for Camarda, who could miss three months after shoulder surgery - Nikola Stulic should lead the Giallorossi's attack.

Lecce possible starting lineup:

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

Lazio possible starting lineup:

Provedel; Marusic, Gila, Romagnoli, Pellegrini; Belahyane, Rovella, Taylor; Cancellieri, Ratkov, Zaccagni