keeping the visitors three points clear of Scudetto rivals Inter Milan
Napoli move to 77 points, with Inter on 74 after they beat Hellas Verona later on Saturday. Lecce remain 17th in the standings
one place and one point above the relegation zone
A Giacomo Raspadori first-half free kick was enough to earn Napoli the all-important three points and a fourth successive win
while Lecce have now gone 12 games without victory
I can't lie," Napoli coach Antonio Conte said
"We're on track and we want to stay there until the end
"Nobody will remember if we finish second or if we had a good season
History must be written and you do it by winning: The others read it."
Emotion and anger were in the air at the Stadio Via del Mare
which had nothing to do with Lecce's precarious league position or the fact they have failed to win a home game since December
The game was preceded by a minute's silence to honour the recently deceased Lecce physiotherapist Graziano Fiorita
with both sets of players gathered close to the home bench
The death occurred while Lecce were preparing for their last game against Atalanta
then rescheduled from Friday to Sunday but Lecce were unhappy at being forced to play so soon after the bereavement
Lecce played against Atalanta in a white jersey without logos and the words 'No values
and against Napoli it was the fans turn to display their anger
The opening minutes were played while fireworks and flares went off behind the Lecce goal
and play was interrupted for over five minutes when some of these landed on the pitch
Before the stoppage, Napoli found the net in the second minute but Romelu Lukaku's goal was ruled out for offside
Napoli did take the lead in the 24th minute
with Raspadori powering a low free kick from the edge of the box into the far corner
Lecce went close when Kialonda Gaspar's header from a corner rattled the crossbar, while Raspadori had a chance to double the lead but fired wide after being sent through by Scott McTominay
Napoli had another goal disallowed early in the second half, after McTominay clearly pushed the keeper at a corner kick before Mathías Olivera's header but after that it was Lecce who battled hard to find an equaliser
Thorir Helgason's dipping shot was tipped over by Napoli keeper Alex Meret and a Helgason free kick had Meret scrambling before the ball went just wide of the upright
solidifies Conte's side's grip on top spot
Information from Reuters and The Associated Press was used in this report
League leaders Napoli moved one step closer to winning the Serie A title with a 1-0 win at relegation-threatened Lecce on Saturday
Napoli move to 77 points, with Inter on 74 after they beat Hellas Verona later on Saturday. Lecce remain 17th in the standings
A Giacomo Raspadori first-half free kick was enough to earn Napoli the all-important three points and a fourth successive win
I can't lie,\" Napoli coach Antonio Conte said
\"We're on track and we want to stay there until the end
\"Nobody will remember if we finish second or if we had a good season
History must be written and you do it by winning: The others read it.\"
The death occurred while Lecce were preparing for their last game against Atalanta
Before the stoppage, Napoli found the net in the second minute but Romelu Lukaku's goal was ruled out for offside
Lecce went close when Kialonda Gaspar's header from a corner rattled the crossbar, while Raspadori had a chance to double the lead but fired wide after being sent through by Scott McTominay
Napoli had another goal disallowed early in the second half, after McTominay clearly pushed the keeper at a corner kick before Mathías Olivera's header but after that it was Lecce who battled hard to find an equaliser
Thorir Helgason's dipping shot was tipped over by Napoli keeper Alex Meret and a Helgason free kick had Meret scrambling before the ball went just wide of the upright
Scott McTominay garnered praise from the Italian media as Napoli edged out Lecce to boost their Serie A title hopes
Napoli’s Giacomo Raspadori celebrates scoring during the Italian Serie A soccer match between US Lecce and SSC Napoli
Lecce’s Nikola Krstovic kicks the ball during the Italian Serie A soccer match between US Lecce and SSC Napoli
watches from the tribune during the Serie A soccer match between Inter Milan and Hellas Verona at the San Siro Stadium
celebrates with teammates after scoring his side’s opening goal during the Serie A soccer match between Inter Milan and Hellas Verona at the San Siro Stadium
Inter Milan’s Kristjan Asllani scores on a penalty kick during the Serie A soccer match between Inter Milan and Hellas Verona at the San Siro Stadium
Inter Milan players celebrate after Inter Milan’s Kristjan Asllani scored his side’s opening goal during the Serie A soccer match between Inter Milan and Hellas Verona at the San Siro Stadium
MILAN (AP) — Napoli didn’t let flares and delays affect its performance as Antonio Conte’s side ground out a 1-0 win at Lecce to take firm control of Serie A on Saturday
Giacomo Raspadori scored the only goal to keep Napoli three points ahead of second-placed Inter Milan
Napoli needs only seven points from the remaining three rounds to win its second league title in three years
“We’re on track and we want to stay there until the end
“Nobody will remember if we finish second or if we had a good season
History must be written and you do it by winning: The others read it.”
There was a moving minute’s silence before the match but the tension boiled over after kickoff when fans threw flares and fireworks onto the field
causing the match to be temporarily halted in the sixth minute
Play was going to continue after about four minutes but there was another delay to repair the bottom of the net
Napoli thought it got off to the perfect start when Romelu Lukaku had the ball in the back of the net after 100 seconds but it was ruled out for offside
The visitors did take the lead in the 24th after Raspadori was bundled over right on the edge of the area and he dusted himself down to curl a free kick into the bottom right corner
Lecce reacted well and Kialonda Gaspar headed a corner onto the crossbar but
it couldn’t find the equalizer and remained just a point above the relegation zone
Despite the importance of the match against Verona
Inter made wholesale changes ahead of the second leg of the Champions League semifinal against Barcelona on Tuesday
Inter nevertheless got off to a quickfire start when Kristjan Asllani drilled a penalty into the bottom right corner in the ninth minute after Verona defender Nicolás Valentini handled the ball
Inter’s first win in six matches followed a dismal run that shattered its dreams of a treble as it was beaten by AC Milan in the Italian Cup semifinals and lost two Serie A matches on the bounce
Verona was six points above the relegation zone
Parma had to postpone its celebrations of securing Serie A safety after losing at home to Como 1-0
Gabriel Strefezza scored in the 79th and some truly awful misses left Parma six points above the drop zone
Cagliari was only a point above Parma and also still not safe after losing to Udinese 2-1
Napoli took another giant step towards the Scudetto with this precious victory away to Lecce
decided by a smart Giacomo Raspadori free kick routine
It was another emotional evening for the Salentini, in their first home game since the death of beloved physio Graziano Fiorita
and their protest at being forced to play Atalanta just three days after the tragedy
many banners and flowers placed around his kit bag
with the players crowded around it for the minute’s silence
This also included angry jeers at the Lega Serie A anthem
as the authorities were accused of being insensitive to their mourning
LECCE, ITALY – MAY 03: Head coach of Napoli Antonio Conte during a minute of silence in memory of the Lecce physiotherapist Graziano Fiorita prior the Serie A match between Lecce and Napoli at Stadio Via del Mare on May 03, 2025 in Lecce, Italy. (Photo by Maurizio Lagana/Getty Images)See how the game unfolded on the Liveblog.
Nikola Krstovic and Medon Berisha returned from suspension, with Gaby Jean and Filip Marchwinski out for the season. The Partenopei missed Alessandro Buongiorno, Juan Jesus and David Neres, so opted for a 4-4-2 moving Matias Olivera to centre-back
It took barely 90 seconds to find the back of the net
as Matteo Politano cut inside from the right and his low strike turned into an accidental assist
bouncing in off Romelu Lukaku’s ankle from six yards to wrong-foot Wladimiro Falcone
The protest from the fans took place after six minutes, as fireworks were thrown repeatedly and angry chants aimed at the Lega Serie A to halt play for several minutes
ITALY – MAY 03: A smokes bomb are thrown on the pitch in protest by Lecce fans during the Serie A match between Lecce and Napoli at Stadio Via del Mare on May 03
(Photo by Maurizio Lagana/Getty Images)Krstovic blasted over after a give and go with Santiago Pierotti
but Napoli did take the lead with a training ground free kick routine
Scott McTominay initially stood next to Giacomo Raspadori on the edge of the area
then ran to the end of the Lecce defensive wall
ducking at the last moment to let the free kick through while also obstructing Falcone’s view
The hosts came very close to an equaliser on 38 minutes
as Kialonda Gaspar’s glancing header on a corner thumped the crossbar and the rebound struck Leonardo Spinazzola on the chest and arm
but VAR evaluated and decided his arm was in a natural position
while Raspadori’s angled drive skimmed the upright after a smart McTominay pass
Napoli had the ball in the net again after the restart with an Olivera header on a corner
but only after McTominay had very obviously shoved Falcone in the back
Alex Meret flew to fingertip a deflected Helgason effort over the bar from the edge of the D
but Stanislav Lobotka hobbled off after a knock to the ankle
Falcone used his legs to deny Lukaku one-on-one after he ran onto a Giovanni Di Lorenzo through ball
but Helgason’s free kick skimmed the near post with Meret scrambling across
Tete Morente’s effort was deflected over and Lassana Coulibaly blasted just off target
as Lecce laid siege in the final 20 minutes and Conte introduced Philip Billing to shut up shop
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fixtures and results for the latest from Serie A
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How to watch the Serie A match between Lecce and Napoli
Napoli will seek to go six points clear atop the Serie A standings table when they take on Lecce at Stadio Via del mare on Saturday
While Gli Azurri have secured their place in next season's Champions League
the hosts find themselves on the edge of the relegation zone
GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch
Check out GOAL's Live Match Centre for updates
The Serie A match between Lecce and Napoli will be played at Stadio Ettore Giardiniero - Via del mare in Lecce
It will kick off at 9 am PT / 12 pm ET on Saturday
Nikola Krstovic and Medon Berisha are back from their respective bans
while Gaby Jean and Filip Marchwinski remain sidelined with ACL injuries
the club's top scorer should replace Ante Rebic up front
while Berisha will push for a start in midfield
Defender Alessandro Buongiorno could miss the rest of the season with a thigh injury
Rafa Marin is in line for a start alongside Amir Rrahmani
Scott McTominay will continue to join Matteo Politano and Romelu Lukaku up front
while Leonardo Spinazzola is expected to cover for injured winger David Neres once again
Napoli's Giacomo Raspadori celebrates scoring during the Italian Serie A soccer match between US Lecce and SSC Napoli
MILAN — Napoli didn’t let flares and delays affect its performance as Antonio Conte’s side ground out a 1-0 win at Lecce to take firm control of Serie A on Saturday
There was a tense atmosphere in Lecce and plenty of banners and chants insulting the league’s governing body as fans were furious Lecce was forced to play against Atalanta just three days after the death of club physical therapist Graziano Fiorita
Lecce's Nikola Krstovic kicks the ball during the Italian Serie A soccer match between US Lecce and SSC Napoli
Captain Lautaro Martínez was injured and was one of 10 changes to the starting lineup from last week’s thrilling 3-3 draw at Barcelona
Defender Yann Bisseck was the only player retained
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Giacomo Raspadori's free-kick proved to be the only goal of the game
Napoli took another step towards a second Serie A title in three seasons by beating relegation-threatened Lecce
Romelu Lukaku had an early goal disallowed for the visitors
but Giacomo Raspadori set Antonio Conte's side on their way to victory with a sweetly struck free-kick midway through the first half
Lecce defender Kialonda Gaspar's powerful header struck the woodwork before half-time
and Thorir Johann Helgason had a deflected strike tipped over the crossbar by Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret in the second half
But there was no way back for the home side as Conte's team consolidated top spot ahead of second-placed Inter Milan
who cut the gap back to three points with victory over Hellas Verona later on Saturday
Simone Inzaghi's team, who drew 3-3 with Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final on Wednesday
had lost their previous two games in Italy's top flight to hand Conte's side the advantage in the title race
Napoli won the Serie A title for the first time in 30 years in 2023 but struggled to replicate their achievements the following season
Saturday's result leaves Lecce one point above the bottom three
but they will drop into the relegation zone if 19th-placed Empoli win their game against Lazio on Sunday
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substituted for Danilo Veiga at 62 minutesNumber 75
substituted for Tete Morente at 46 minutesNumber 37
Yellow Card at 66 minutesSubstituteshome team
Yellow Card at 66 minutesSubstitutesNumber 22
Simeone Match OfficialsReferee: Davide MassaVideo Assistant Referee: Maurizio MarianiAssistant Referee 1: Filippo MeliAssistant Referee 2: Stefano AlassioFourth Official: Daniele RutellaAssistant VAR Official: Valerio MariniMatch StatsKey
Danilo Veiga (Lecce) wins a free kick in the defensive half
Cyril Ngonge (Napoli) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked
Fourth official has announced 6 minutes of added time
Lassana Coulibaly (Lecce) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high
Matteo Politano (Napoli) left footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the right
Tete Morente (Lecce) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul
Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli) wins a free kick in the defensive half
Danilo Veiga (Lecce) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left following a corner
Tete Morente (Lecce) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked
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FROM AFP NEWSNapoli Six Clear In Serie A After Win At Fiery LecceBy AFP - Agence France Presse
ShareResizeReprintsThe Barron's news department was not involved in the creation of the content above. This article was produced by AFP. For more information go to AFP.com.© Agence France-Presse
playMarcotti: Serie A 'tone deaf' in rescheduling of Lecce match (1:47)Gab Marcotti reacts to Lecce's protest aimed toward Serie A after rescheduling Friday's match just three days after the death of their physiotherapist
Lecce played in a white shirt with no logos on Sunday in protest at Serie A's decision to reschedule Friday's match at Atalanta just three days after the death of their physiotherapist
the Brescia town where the team was training ahead of the game in Bergamo which was scheduled to take place the following day
Although the club's request to postpone Friday's encounter was approved
Lecce wore a white shirt with the words 'no value, no colour' during Sunday's draw at Atalanta. Marco Luzzani/Getty Images"Graziano Fiorita died while on retreat with his team, far from his wife and four children, and still lies thousands of kilometres away from home, waiting for the magistrate to authorise his return," a Lecce statement said on Sunday
"This game should not have been held today
but all attempts to postpone it were cynically rejected
"We will play the game 'of trampled values' but we will do so wearing an anonymous white jersey that does not represent us
We will return to wearing our jerseys when Graziano returns home and is honoured
The players wore a white shirt with a black ribbon and a message written in black that translates in English as: "no value, no colour" during Sunday's 1-1 draw
The club, which is based in the Southern Italian town of Lecce, said in a statement that fans will be able to pay their final respects to Fiorita on Tuesday at their Via del Mare stadium
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Napoli play halted for over 5 minutes by angry fans | OneFootballFootball Italia
The match between Lecce and Napoli was suspended for over five minutes after home fans threw fireworks and hurled insults in protest at the Lega Serie A
See how the game unfolds on the Liveblog.
This was the first home fixture for the Salentini since the death of beloved physiotherapist Graziano Fiorita last Thursday
LECCE, ITALY – MAY 03: Head coach of Napoli Antonio Conte during a minute of silence in memory of physiotherapist Graziano Fiorita at Stadio Via del Mare on May 03
The club was furious at being forced to play against Atalanta just three days after the tragedy
which occurred in the hotel in Bergamo where the squad was preparing the game
They had staged a formal protest during that match
wearing a white jersey rather than their traditional kit
including a message noting their club colours would not be sullied in a fixture they were forced to play
LECCE, ITALY – MAY 03: Supporters of Lecce during the Serie A match between Lecce and Napoli at Stadio Via del Mare on May 03
The fans reserved their anger for the game at the Stadio Via del Mare this evening, loudly jeering the Lega Serie A anthem before kick-off, then reacting angrily when the referee and his assistants joined the circle for the minute’s silence around the home bench.
Banners read: ‘Lega scum, Lecce is disgusted with you’ and ‘Death is ridiculed
The protest was really unleashed at the sixth minute when the fans behind Wladimiro Falcone’s goal started throwing dozens of fireworks and flares, forcing the match to be interrupted for over five minutes.
This was also because one of them burned a hole in the back of the net and it had to be repaired
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Player Ratings: Lecce 0-1 Napoli – Raspadori Conquers Puglia
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Raspadori celebrates scoring Napoli's winning goalMAURIZIO LAGANA / Getty Images via AFPNapoli took another huge step towards a second Serie A title in three seasons
beating Lecce 1-0 at Stadio Via del Mare for a fourth successive clean sheet victory.Antonio Conte’s men have been untouchable in recent weeks
and they carried that momentum into this clash that carried huge ramifications at both ends of the table
The Partenopei had the ball in the net inside two minutes thanks to a clever flick from Romelu Lukaku to redirect Matteo Politano’s tame shot, but to Lecce’s relief
However, that proved only a temporary reprieve for the hosts, who fell behind in the 24th minute thanks to a tremendous strike from Giacomo Raspadori
The Napoli forward slammed home a free-kick that he had won right on the edge of the box
marking his first start since before the March international break with another potentially priceless goal in the title race
Lecce desperately needed a response in their fight for survival
and only the width of the woodwork prevented them from drawing level when Kialonga Gaspar’s powerful near-post header came back off the crossbar
The visitors regrouped after a spell of pressure on their goal
and ought to have gone in at the break with a two-goal lead
but Raspadori could only drag his shot wide after being played in by Scott McTominay
Match statsFlashscoreA double change at the break sparked an improvement from the Giallorossi
with Porir Johann Helgason particularly influential
the Icelandic international saw a shot from the edge of the box deflect off Stanislav Lobotka and tipped over by Alex Meret
before he audaciously attempted to catch the goalkeeper out from a free-kick on the left
though he could only find the side-netting
Napoli delivered a masterclass in game management
keeping their opponents at an arm’s length to see out a crucial victory that
opens up a six-point gap over defending champions Inter Milan
saw their winless run stretch to 12 matches thanks to a fourth successive scoring blank in head-to-heads
leaving them just a point clear of the relegation zone
Flashscore Man of the Match: Giacomo Raspadori (Napoli)
Player ratingsFlashscoreCheck out the match summary with Flashscore.
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There was a tense atmosphere in Lecce and plenty of banners and chants insulting the league’s governing body as fans were furious Lecce was forced to play against Atalanta just three days after the death of club physical therapist Graziano Fiorita
Captain Lautaro Martínez was injured and was one of 10 changes to the starting lineup from last week’s thrilling 3-3 draw at Barcelona
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Napoli change tactics again to a 4-4-2 with Giacomo Raspadori joining Romelu Lukaku and Scott McTominay
It kicks off at the Stadio Via del Mare at 17.00 UK time (16.00 GMT
You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from all today’s four Serie A games on the Liveblog.
The last two weeks were potentially decisive in the Scudetto race
as Napoli went from three points behind Inter
who are struggling badly on and off the field
where last week they were hit by the tragic death of their long-time physio Graziano Fiorita
They protested at being forced to play Atalanta just days after the unexpected shock
wearing white shirts with an angry message about the values being trampled by this pressure to rush their return
Star striker Nikola Krstovic and midfielder Medon Berisha return from suspension
while Nicola Sansone is back in the squad months after being frozen out
This is because Gaby Jean and Filip Marchwinski are out for the rest of the season with serious knee injuries
Ante Rebic is fit for the bench after suffering from flu symptoms
ITALY – APRIL 27: Scott McTominay celebrates with Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Amir Rrahmani after scoring his side second goal during the Serie A match between Napoli and Torino at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on April 27
(Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)Napoli are forced to again do without Alessandro Buongiorno
who only just made his comeback from a different injury
David Neres and Juan Jesus are also sidelined
but Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa is ready to start
Raspadori gets the nod in a switch to the 4-4-2 formation for Antonio Conte
as they are short of centre-backs and prefer Matias Olivera there to Rafa Marin
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Napoli’s Giacomo Raspadori celebrates scoring during the Italian Serie A soccer match between US Lecce and SSC Napoli
Lecce’s Nikola Krstovic kicks the ball during the Italian Serie A soccer match between US Lecce and SSC Napoli
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FROM AFP NEWSNapoli Move Step Closer To Serie A Crown After Win At Fiery LecceBy Terry DALEY
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Serie A | Lecce 0-1 Napoli: Smart Raspadori routine could clinch Scudetto | OneFootballFootball Italia
Lecce tributes to physioLECCE, ITALY – MAY 03: Head coach of Napoli Antonio Conte during a minute of silence in memory of the Lecce physiotherapist Graziano Fiorita prior the Serie A match between Lecce and Napoli at Stadio Via del Mare on May 03
See how the game unfolded on the Liveblog.
The protest from the fans took place after six minutes, as fireworks were thrown repeatedly and angry chants aimed at the Lega Serie A to halt play for several minutes
LECCE, ITALY – MAY 03: A smokes bomb are thrown on the pitch in protest by Lecce fans during the Serie A match between Lecce and Napoli at Stadio Via del Mare on May 03
Krstovic blasted over after a give and go with Santiago Pierotti, but Napoli did take the lead with a training ground free kick routine
LECCE, ITALY – MAY 03: Federico Baschirotto of Lecce competes for the ball with Romelu Lukaku of Napoli during the Serie A match between Lecce and Napoli at Stadio Via del Mare on May 03
Noticias RelacionadasSerie A Week 35 Liveblog including Inter vs. Verona and Lecce vs. Napoli
Serie A official line-ups: Lecce vs. Napoli
Serie A Preview: Lecce vs Napoli – Team News, Line-ups & Prediction
Why Conte is planning Napoli tactical shift and McTominay tweak for Lecce
Serie A: Lecce vs Napoli – probable line-ups and where to watch on TV
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How to watch the Serie A match between Atalanta and Lecce
Atalanta will take on Lecce in a Serie A fixture at the Gewiss Stadium on Friday
Atalanta are third in the standings and will be confident of picking up their third win in a row
They are heading into this game on the back of a 1-0 win over AC Milan
are on a winless run and will be desperate for points
The match will be shown live on Paramount+ in the US. Live updates can be found here on GOAL
If you are abroad, you may need to use a virtual private network (VPN) in order to watch games using your usual streaming service. A VPN, such as NordVPN, allows you to establish a secure connection online when streaming. If you are not sure which VPN to use, check out GOAL's guide to the best VPNs for streaming sport
The match will be played at the Gewiss Stadium on Friday
with kick-off at 2.45 pm ET for fans in the US
Stefan Posch has now joined Sead Kolasinac and Giorgio Scalvini on the sidelines
leaving Gian Piero Gasperini with limited defensive options ahead of Friday night’s clash
Atalanta are still unable to count on Odilon Kossounou
who remains short of match fitness following a lengthy layoff
while Rafael Toloi is unlikely to start and Berat Djimsiti is a doubt after picking up an ankle sprain last weekend
they will be without leading scorer Nikola Krstovic
who is suspended along with Medon Berisha due to yellow card accumulation
Defender Gaby Jean has undergone surgery on a knee injury and will miss the rest of the season
so Kialonda Gaspar is expected to continue alongside captain Federico Baschirotto at the heart of the defence
Serie A: Lecce vs Napoli – probable line-ups and where to watch on TV | OneFootballFootball Italia
Giacomo Raspadori is expected to partner Romelu Lukaku in attack as Napoli aim to secure crucial points in the Scudetto race against relegation-threatened Lecce
It kicks off at 18:00 CET (16:00 GMT) at the Stadio Via del Mare in Lecce
MONZA, ITALY – APRIL 19: Samuele Birindelli of Monza battles for possession with Leonardo Spinazzola during the Serie A match between Monza and Napoli at U-Power Stadium on April 19
Zambo Anguissa and Lobotka will anchor the midfield in a 4-4-2 formation
while Matteo Politano and Scott McTominay are expected to start on the wings
Nikola Krstovic will lead Lecce’s frontline
The fixture will be broadcast live on OneFootball in the UK and Paramount+ in the USA
ROME, ITALY – FEBRUARY 15: Napoli players celebrate Adam Marusic of Lazio (not pictured) own goal during the Serie A match at Stadio Olimpico on February 15
Related NewsSerie A Week 35 Liveblog including Inter vs. Verona and Lecce vs. Napoli
Serie A Preview: Lecce vs Napoli – Team News
Line-ups & Prediction | OneFootballThe Cult of Calcio
Serie A pacesetters Napoli head to Stadio Via del Mare to take on relegation-threatened Lecce in a high-stakes clash on Saturday evening
Lecce couldn’t postpone their trip to Bergamo last weekend after the sudden death of their physiotherapist
Marco Giampaolo’s side paid a fitting tribute to their long-serving staff member with a spirited performance
earning a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Atalanta to keep their survival hopes alive
Despite pulling off an upset at the Gewiss Stadium, Lecce cannot afford to rest on their laurels
Only a point separates them from 18th-placed Venezia pre-round
largely thanks to a long-stMatanding winless streak dating back to late January
the hosts may not be overly optimistic ahead of this fixture
In stark contrast to Lecce’s bottom-half woes, Napoli will take the field in high spirits. Antonio Conte’s side took advantage of Inter Milan’s two consecutive league defeats to overtake the reigning Scudetto holders at the throne. With only four games remaining, the Partenopei boast a three-point lead at the table’s summit
Ex-Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay has been the architect of Napoli’s incredible title push. His match-winning brace in a 2-0 triumph against Torino last weekend cemented his status as a new fan favorite at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, taking his Serie A haul to 12 goals
These are not ideal times to be a Lecce fan
Giampaolo’s charges face an uphill task to avoid relegation
with three of their remaining four league fixtures coming against sides from the upper half of the table
That’s particularly ominous when factoring in their abysmal record against the division’s heavy hitters
Lecce have gone winless in every home league encounter against the current top-13 teams this season (D3
a lack of scoring prowess saw them fail to get on the scoresheet in eight of those 11 matches
casting further doubt on their quest to upset the apple cart today
Adding to this sentiment, Lecce have only picked up one point from their last four meetings with Napoli in Serie A (D1
including a narrow 1-0 loss in October’s reverse fixture
not even the most optimistic Giallorossi fans can expect their team to post their first home league win since mid-December
Lecce’s form wobble must be music to Conte’s ears as the trophy-laden manager aims to inspire Napoli to their second Serie A title in three years
The visitors have hit their stride since the start of March
tallying five wins in eight league outings while drawing the other three
including a scoreless draw at Lecce’s fellow relegation opponents
That result forms part of Napoli’s intimidating league record against current bottom-eight sides this season (W10, D1, L1). With their remaining four league clashes pitting them against clubs from the lower reaches, Napoli look perfectly positioned to deny Inter the prAdd New Postivilege of becoming the first Scudetto holders to defend the title in five years
Further confidence comes from the visitors’ impressive run of six wins from seven top-flight encounters against the division’s bottom four (D1), not to mention the fact they have yet to concede in such clashes this term. Another clean sheet is on the cards, given that Napoli have registered a league-high 16 shutouts pre-round
Long-term absentees Gaby Jean and Filip Marchwinski remain out of contention, with Joan Gonzalez joining them on the sidelines. However, Lecce can draw heart from Medon Berisha’s return from suspension
The same goes for Giampaolo’s most prolific forward
On the other hand, Napoli will be without Brazilian duo Juan Jesus and David Neres
Alessandro Buongiorno may start on the bench
with Rafa Marin likely to take his place in defense alongside Amir Rrahmani
Lecce’s well-documented scoring woes should make this a straightforward task for Conte’s stubborn defensive unit. With McTominay firing on all cylinders and Romelu Lukaku seeking his first Serie A goal since mid-April, Napoli should stroll to three points in Puglia
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A splendid Giacomo Raspadori free kick midway through the first half was enough for Napoli to defeat Lecce and make it four wins on the spin
After Romelu Lukaku had seen an early goal ruled out for a fractional offside
Jack stepped up and curled into the bottom corner from the edge of the box to give us the lead
Lecce then hit the bar and Raspadori had another effort run just the wrong side of the post as the first half ended 1-0
Napoli produced a controlled display in the second half to claim a crucial three points
The result means they remain top of the table with three matches left to play
Lecce 0-1 Napoli (HT 0-1)Scorer: Raspadori 24.LECCE: Falcone; Guilbert (Veiga 63)
Lukaku (Simeone 87).Coach: Conte.Referee: Massa (Imperia)Booked: Morente
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On Saturday 3 May at 18:00 CEST Napoli will take on Lecce at the Via del Mare
a side who in their last game put in a great performance and a collected a point in Bergamo against Atalanta
Lecce sit on 27 points in the league and are seeking to secure their Serie A status
They are currently hovering in a safe place and have a two-point advantage over Venezia and Empoli
who lie in the drop zone and both of whom have 25 points
Napoli have won three games on the bounce without conceding and will be trying to repeat the scoreline from the first meeting this season
when Antonio Conte’s side won 1-0 on October 26 with a goal from captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo
If Napoli win tomorrow then it will be their first double over Lecce in Serie A since 2011/12
In the last nine matchdays in Serie A Lecce have picked up two points
Despite not going through their best period this campaign Lecce have shown great strength in unity
pulling together following the tragic death of physiotherapist Graziano Fiorita
and reacting on the pitch by putting in a top-class performance against Atalanta
Lecce can boast great stats for cross precision – they are the second team with the highest percentage of successful crosses in the Italian top flight (26%)
After a one-match suspension which was served in Lecce’s last match against Atalanta Nikola Krstovic will return even more motivated and hungry to score goals
The Montenegrin striker has taken more shots on goal than any other player in the top five European leagues with 130 – the prestigious names of Kylian Mbappe (128) and Mohamed Salah (120) are second and third on this list
who has scored 10 goals in this Serie A season
is also the player who has scored the highest percentage of goals for his team in Serie A 2024/25 (42%
He could also become the first Lecce player to surpass the 10-goal barrier in a single season in Serie A since Gianluca Lapadula in 2019/20
Federico Baschirotto is very much Lecce’s figurehead
The captain has made 197 defensive clearances in this campaign - only Ardian Ismajli (210) has done better
two of Lecce's last three goals in Serie A have been scored by Baschirotto
The defender (two goals in Serie A 2024/25) is just one goal away from his record in a single season in Serie A (three in 2022/23)
if there’s one player who has really kicked on this calendar year then it's Thorir Helgason
The Icelandic midfielder is the Lecce player who has provided the highest number of assists in this Serie A season with four
all four of his assists came in 2025 and during the same period only today's opponent Romelu Lukaku (six) and Dodo (five) have recorded more