Preview: Lecce vs. Udinese - prediction, team news, lineups

Needing just one point to ensure safety, Lecce welcome fellow Serie A strugglers Udinese to Stadio Via del Mare on Monday evening.

Denying the Bianconeri victory would confirm the hosts' survival, but their visitors are in much deeper trouble.

Match preview

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Following an alarming mid-season dip, Lecce seem to have timed their run away from the drop zone to perfection, going unbeaten in six of their last seven Serie A matches following last week's 1-1 draw with Cagliari.

Luca Gotti's arrival as head coach has clearly paid off for the Giallorossi, whose only defeat during that period came against AC Milan, but resurgent striker Nikola Krstovic has also played a major part.

Now paired with former rival Roberto Piccoli up front, the Montengrin been directly involved in a goal in each of his last three games, and he followed up a spectacular strike against Monza with a crucial late leveller in Cagliari.

Holding a seven-point advantage over 18th-placed Udinese leaves Lecce within a whisker of guaranteeing their third straight year in Serie A, and another draw on Monday would get them over the line.

Undefeated in their last four league matches against the Fruilani - having lost five of the previous six - recent history will be on their side; even a repeat of the 1-1 result in October's reverse fixture will spark celebrations in Salento.

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The roles could quite easily have been reversed, with Udinese looking down upon their hosts in the standings, as they have frequently failed to finish off opponents this season.

A total of 18 draws is not only the most across Europe's top five leagues but is also the club's highest tally for some 41 years.

Now meeting the Serie A side that have gained the most points (16) by scoring in the last 20 minutes, the Fruilani have lost more points than any other team (18) from goals conceded during the same period.

Udinese are, therefore, stuck inside the bottom three and could soon relinquish their long-held top-flight status; having picked up just three points from their last seven matches, such form suggests that relegation could be on the cards.

While Isaac Success struck in second-half stoppage time to snatch a draw with Napoli on Monday - and they have previously beaten Lazio, Juventus and Milan - the Bianconeri's inability to take care of business against more modest opposition has also proved costly.

Only Serie B-bound Salernitana have accrued fewer points versus teams currently in the bottom half of the table, so recently-appointed coach Fabio Cannavaro will try to turn that trend around at Via del Mare.

Team News

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Meeting his former club on Monday, Lecce boss Luca Gotti will be forced to make a change up front, as Roberto Piccoli must serve a suspension after picking up another yellow card last weekend.

Remi Oudin could be moved into a more advanced position, behind in-form striker Nikola Krstovic, with Pontus Almqvist being promoted from the bench to start on the hosts' right flank.

Kastriot Dermaku, Mohamed Kaba and Lameck Banda are all sidelined for the rest of the season by knee injuries, but Nicolas Viola may overcome a calf problem in time to make the squad.

Meanwhile, Udinese's long-term absence list features Enzo Ebosse and Gerard Deulofeu, with Sandi Lovric, Marco Silvestri and French forward Florian Thauvin also set to miss the long trip down to Salento.

More positively for Fabio Cannavaro, Argentine duo Nehuen Perez and Martin Payero are both back in the fold following one-match suspensions.

Top scorer Lorenzo Lucca has found the net just once in his last 16 league games, and he will be supported by either Brenner or captain Roberto Pereyra - the latter is expected to recover from a minor injury that kept him out of the draw against Napoli.

Lecce possible starting lineup: Falcone; Gendrey, Baschirotto, Pongracic, Gallo; Almqvist, Ramadani, Blin, Dorgu; Oudin; Krstovic

Udinese possible starting lineup: Okoye; Perez, Bijol, Kristensen; Ehizibue, Payero, Walace, Kamara; Samardzic, Pereyra; Lucca

We say: Lecce 1-1 Udinese

There has only been one draw in the last 15 Serie A meetings between Lecce and Udinese at Via del Mare - and none since 2008 - but the evidence points to that outcome on this occasion: the Bianconeri are Italy's draw specialists, while their hosts are tough to beat on home turf.

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