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

Both battling for Serie A survival, relegation rivals Lecce and Pisa will meet at Stadio Via del Mare on Friday evening.

Ultimately aiming to earn a fourth straight year in Italy's top flight, the Salentini lead their promoted visitors by three points, after both were beaten last time out.

Match preview

One week on from beating Torino in dramatic circumstances - thanks to Wladimiro Falcone's last-gasp penalty save - Lecce came up short last Sunday, suffering defeat in their first December fixture.

Producing just a single shot on target, the Salentini conceded twice after half time at Stadio Zini, where they succumbed to Serie A's surprise package Cremonese.

While their hosts then moved into the top half, Lecce slipped down to 17th place, leaving them dangling just above the drop zone.

With their misfiring strikers short of form and confidence, the southern club have now failed to score in almost half of their 34 league matches this calendar year.

Yet, Eusebio Di Francesco's side have recently lost just one of their last five home fixtures and are proving much tougher to beat at the Via del Mare.

Lecce must now try to make home advantage pay, as they finish off 2025 by hosting promoted Pisa and high-flying Como.

Though they won their last meeting with this week's visitors - down in Serie B, three years ago - it has been quite a while since the pair last locked horns in Italy's top tier.

In fact, Friday's game will kick off 34 years and 312 days after the clubs' most recent Serie A clash, which ended in a 1-1 draw at the Via del Mare.

More than three decades on, Pisa are back in the top flight, fighting to defy most pre-season predictions and stay afloat.

However, the Nerazzurri missed an opportunity to escape the relegation zone - at Lecce's expense - on Monday night, losing 1-0 at home to fellow strugglers Parma.

Antonio Caracciolo's handball led to the only goal, as a VAR-awarded penalty separated the sides; compounding Pisa's misery, M'Bala Nzola missed two chances to equalise before getting himself sent off.

While the Tuscan club have now lost their last two matches - both played at home - they have recently drawn each of their last three away games.

So, after 2-2 results against AC Milan, Torino and Sassuolo, Alberto Gilardino's team will aim to keep that unbeaten streak going when they travel down to Lecce.

Lecce Serie A form:

L W D L W L

Pisa Serie A form:

D D W D L L

Team News

Unchanged from last week, the hosts' injury list still features Gaby Jean, Filip Marchwinski and Balthazar Pierret, but Di Francesco otherwise has a full squad to choose from.

Set to start in midfield, ever-present workhorse Ylber Ramadani should link up with chief creator Medon Berisha: the latter has been directly involved in four of Lecce's last five league goals.

Berisha's contribution stands in stark contrast to that of the Giallorossi's ailing attack, as both Nikola Stulic and Milan loanee Francesco Camarda are enduring a long goal drought.

Meanwhile, Pisa's top scorer will be missing on Friday evening, as Nzola must serve a suspension for his late red card against Parma.

So, Henrik Meister should lead the visitors' attack, most likely supported by Stefano Moreo or Matteo Tramoni.

It remains to be seen whether Adrian Semper will return between the posts, after experienced stopper Simone Scuffet took the gloves on Monday.

In addition to Nzola's self-inflicted absence, Gilardino must do without injured trio Calvin Stengs, Juan Cuadrado and Daniel Denoon.

Lecce possible starting lineup:

Falcone; Veiga, Gaspar, Gabriel, Gallo; Ramadani, Coulibaly; Pierotti, Berisha, Sottil; Stulic

Pisa possible starting lineup:

Scuffet; Calabresi, Caracciolo, Canestrelli; Toure, Aebischer, Akinsanmiro, Marin, Angori; Tramoni, Meister