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After a summer of whinging, Antonio Conte has finally been able to get a real tune out of Napoli and they begin this weekend’s round of fixture sitting at the top-of-the-table. They now face a Lecce side that have struggled at the start of this season.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Saturday 26th October, 2024 - UK – 2:00pm / US ET – 9:00am / US PT – 6:00am
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – Not televised / US – Select matches will be televised on CBS Sports so it is worth checking their schedule
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – OneFootball / US – Paramount+
NAPOLI PREVIEW: LEAGUE LEADERS
The whinging, as mentioned, was followed by Napoli suffering a shock 3-0 defeat to Hellas Verona at the Bentegodi on the opening weekend of the campaign. The Neapolitans then spent over £100 million before the end of the summer transfer window and they now begin this weekend’s round of fixtures sitting at the top-of-the-table.
Napoli have suffered just one defeat in their opening eight matches in Serie A so far this season with six victories and a draw since that opening day defeat to Verona. In their most recent outing, Napoli defeated Empoli by a goal to nil last weekend with a 63rd minute winning penalty scored by Georgia international Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
LECCE PREVIEW: GOTTI UNDER PRESSURE
During the March international break, Lecce appointed manager Luca Gotti and they eventually steered themselves away from the bottom three and the relegation places. The Apulia-based club have been much-improved but they have been really unconvincing so far this season as they begin this weekend’s round of fixtures sitting in the bottom three and the relegation places.
The visitors have managed just one win in their opening eight matches in Serie A so far this season. The visitors come into this one on the back of three successive defeats either side of the October international break. In their most recent outing they suffered a 6-0 defeat at home to Fiorentina at Stadio Via del Mare last weekend.
NAPOLI TEAM NEWS: COUPLE OF INJURIES
Napoli’s Italy international goalkeeper Alex Meret remains unavailable for Napoli this weekend with former Leeds United man Elia Caprile replacing him for the time being.
They are also without Slovakia international midfielder Stanislav Lobotka but the form of Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmour has helped lessen that loss.
PREDICTED XI (4-3-3): Caprile; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Buongiorno, Spinazzola; Anguissa, Gilmour, McTominay; Politano, Lukaku, Kvaratskhelia
UNAVAILABLE: Meret (Injured), Lobotka (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
LECCE TEAM NEWS: SEVERAL ABSENTEES
There are several absentees for this weekend’s clash with league leading Napoli with several injuries and now a new suspension with that suspension being Antonio Gallo.
As well as the absence of Gallo, Lecce will also be missing the likes of Luis Hasa and Filip Marchwinski due to injury alongside Megon Berisha and Kevin Bonifazi.
PREDICTED XI (4-1-2-1-2): Falcone; Guilbert, Gaspar, Baschirotto, Pelmard; Pierret; Oudin, Ramadani; Dorgu; Krstovic, Rebic
UNAVAILABLE: Gallo (Suspended), Hasa (Injured), Marchwinski (Injured), Berisha (Injured), Bonifazi (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
NAPOLI VS LECCE PREDICTION
Napoli have been rampant, albeit still quite low-scoring, as they lead at the top-of-the-table. Antonio Conte appears to have gone into that sort of mode and mood where he can genuinely sense another league title. They now face a Lecce side that may not have Gotti in the dugout for very long given the current state of things and a hammering here could well be the final nail in the coffin.
NAPOLI VS LECCE TIP: NAPOLI TO WIN -1 HANDICAP