Lecce vs. Napoli: an important battle at both ends
The relegation battle and Scudetto race come together at the Via del Mare, where Lecce are set to host Napoli. The Salentini, who have only picked up four points from their last eleven matches and haven’t won since 31 January, need points to move clear of the relegation zone. Napoli, meanwhile, have won their last three matches and are hoping to extend that run to four in order to – temporarily at least – move six points clear of Inter ahead of the Nerazzurri’s clash against Verona.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Napoli have kept a clean sheet in their last three Serie A games against Lecce, as many times as in their previous 14 games against them in the competition. This is the second longest clean sheet streak for the Partenopei against opponents currently in the top-flight (seven in a row against Venezia). After losing just one of their first nine Serie A home games against Napoli (W3 D5), without ever conceding more than one goal, Lecce have lost and conceded at least two goals in each of their last four home games against the Partenopei in the competition.
DID YOU KNOW?
Across their last nine league games, Lecce have collected only two points in Serie A – only Monza (one point) have won fewer in this period. Lecce have not won at home in Serie A since 15 December against Monza (2-1); since then, the Apulians have collected only three points thanks to three draws (L6), and have failed to score in six of their nine home games. Napoli have kept a clean sheet in their last three league games, last managing a longer such run in Serie A in February 2023, with Luciano Spalletti on the bench. At this point in the campaign, after 34 matches played, Napoli are the team that have improved the most compared to the same stage last season (24 more points), which is at least double that of any other team to feature in both seasons. Napoli are the only team yet to concede a headed goal this season, while Lecce have already conceded 10 headed goals – fewer than only Torino (11) and Monza (18). Napoli have conceded only three goals from set pieces in this Serie A season, fewer than any other team across the big five European leagues in 2024-25.
PLAYERS
Nikola Krstovic has attempted 130 shots in this championship, already a record for a Lecce player from 2004/05 onwards in Serie A (second only to Mirko Vucinic in 2005/06 with 104). When combining shots and chances created, however, Krstovic ranks first in a single season for the club in this period (157 total shot involvements against Vucinic's 143). In the 21st Century, only two Napoli midfielders have finished a Serie A campaign with at least 10 goals scored: Marek HamsÃk (four times) and Scott McTominay. The Scottish midfielder currently has 11 goals, while the Slovakian's record is 12 (both in 2016/17 and 2009/10).
DISCIPLINE
Suspended: none Cautioned: Pierotti, Rafia, Ramadani (Lecce); Olivera (Napoli)
REFEREE
MASSA (MELI – ALASSIO) IV: RUTELLA, VAR: MARIANI, AVAR: MARINI
UPCOMING MATCHES IN SERIE A
Hellas Verona-Lecce (Sunday 11 May, 15.00 CEST) Napoli-Genoa (Sunday 11 May, 20.45 CEST) (Photo Getty Images)