Napoli survived a late scare against Torino last weekend to secure a hard-fought victory and extend their lead in third to five points ahead of the latest Serie A clash with US Lecce. Results elsewhere changed the complexion of the top-four race, with Roma dropping down to fifth, while Como gathered pace and climbed into the final Champions League spot.
Napoli saw the Milan clubs open a new dimension in the title race last Sunday, but they are not resigned to consolidating third place and securing Champions League football. Hosting Torino, Antonio Conte’s men took an early lead through Alisson Santos, but could not find the back of the net again until midway through the second half.
The next time Napoli scored was through Eljif Elmas in the 68th minute, which more or less secured the points. Torino did respond late in the game through midfielder Cesare Casadei, as the hosts held their ground to secure the win. Now, Conte will aim to make it three wins in a row for the first time this year as they take on lowly Lecce.
Lecce have won three of their last five league games, which is as many as they managed in the 17 before that run began. Last weekend, Eusebio Di Francesco’s men defeated fellow relegation strugglers Cremonese in a potential six-pointer, and got lucky as their opponents were denied a late goal, which ensured Lecce are three points clear of the drop zone.
While Lecce are showing some level of promising form in the league, they have a terrible recent record against Napoli to contend with. The Giallorossi have failed to find the net against Napoli in their last five encounters, losing at least three with a 1-0 scoreline. There is always a chance to cause an upset, but given Napoli’s rise in form, it is difficult to see beyond a home victory in this one.
Antonio Conte will be relieved to see some of his key men return from injuries, although Napoli did suffer a fresh problem with Antonio Vergara. The attacker has a foot injury that is set to rule him out until April.
On the positive side, Conte can now call upon Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Kevin De Bruyne in his midfield setup, while there is a chance Scott McTominay returns to the squad.
Stanislav Lobotka is still a significant doubt for this clash as he continues to nurse a muscular problem, while skipper Giovanni Di Lorenzo is still absent. Alisson is the man in focus for Napoli at the moment, following his performance against Torino, and he will start the game against US Lecce in the attacking third.
It remains to be seen whether Conte hands a start to De Bruyne, and if not, then Billy Gilmour and Anguissa will form a midfield partnership. Matteo Politano and Leonardo Spinazzola are expected to feature in the wing-back roles, while Eljif Elmas will play alongside Alisson behind striker Rasmus Hojlund in the attacking third.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Milinkovic-Savic; Beukema, Buongiorno, Olivera; Politano, Gilmour, Anguissa, Spinazzola; Elmas, Alisson; Hojlund
Lecce have their share of injury troubles, with the likes of Kialonda Gaspar and Francesco Camarda likely to be absent. The former has a ligament issue, while the AC Milan loanee suffers from a shoulder problem that will keep the duo out of contention.
Meanwhile, Antonino Gallo has a muscle problem that rules him out of the Napoli clash, while Medon Berisha is also ruled out. Irish defender Corrie Ndaba could be considered for the left-back role for this game. Danilo Veiga will start at right-back, with Tiago Gabriel and Jamil Siebert the preferred centre-back pairing for Di Francesco.
Lassana Coulibaly and Ylber Ramadani are set to feature in the Lecce midfield. Santiago Pierotti, Omri Gandelman, and Lameck Banda are the ones likely to start in the offensive unit, with Nikola Stulic set to lead the line for Lecce against Napoli this weekend.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Falcone; Veiga, Gabriel, Siebert, Ndaba; Coulibaly, Ramadani; Pierotti, Gandelman, Banda; Stulic
If the talk of a potential Brazil call-up ahead of the upcoming international break has any legs, then Alisson truly deserves it for the kind of impact he has had at Napoli. Signed only in January, the Brazilian has already notched two goals in four appearances for Antonio Conte’s side, including the opening goal against Torino last time out.
Alisson is steadily becoming a key player for Napoli, and once again has the chance to impress when the team hosts Lecce on Saturday. Should he continue on his current trajectory, the Naples side will probably make his signing permanent from Sporting CP.
Lecce have struggled when playing Napoli over the last few seasons, and that trend could continue on Saturday. While Eusebio Di Francesco’s side arrive at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium with some level of momentum, the chances of them causing an upset against the hosts remain remote.
Napoli are on a decent run themselves, and Antonio Conte will aim to secure three wins on the bounce for the first time in 2026. The main ibjective is to keep the distance from fourth-placed Como, and Napoli are expected to win against Lecce and keep a clean sheet in the process. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-0 victory for Conte and his charges.
