Juventus travel to Lecce in Serie A on Sunday, October 25, with kick-off at 5:00pm. Our full preview, team news, predicted lineups and score prediction are below.
Match Preview
Juventus have won just one of their last four games, and they will try to keep the critics quiet with a win at Lecce on Sunday. The hosts trail them by only two points in Serie A after a big away win last weekend.
Juve’s perfect European record ended on Thursday, when they drew 2-2 at home to Rennes after twice having to come from behind. Zeki Celik opened the scoring after Nick Woltemade set him up, and Woltemade then equalised from the penalty spot. Weston McKennie had a late “winner” ruled out for offside.
The league picture is worse. Juve are eighth after a 3-0 home defeat to Lazio, in which Woltemade and Randal Kolo Muani both missed a golden chance, and they have won only one of their last five league games. Luciano Spalletti’s position appears to be under threat, and 11 points leaves them behind the other top-four contenders and only two clear of Lecce.
Lecce have a poor record against Juve. They have won just one of 20 top-flight meetings since 2004-05, and that victory came in February 2011. They lost 1-0 at the Via del Mare in May after conceding in the first minute, though they still survived relegation. They are in Serie A for a club-record fifth consecutive season and may face another scramble this term.
Eusebio Di Francesco’s side took only six points from their first six games and were knocked out of the Coppa Italia by Serie B club Palermo. Then they stunned Udinese 3-0 last week, scoring twice from corners with headers, while Jamil Siebert added a fine strike.
Team News
Spalletti is expected to rotate again, with proven options limited by injuries and a hectic run of fixtures before the next international break. Celik strained a thigh after scoring on Thursday, and Nico Gonzalez came off with a calf problem. Both will miss out, joining Francisco Conceicao, Kenan Yildiz, Khephren Thuram, Jeff Ekhator, Kamil Grabara and captain Manuel Locatelli in the treatment room.
Woltemade has scored in each of his first three European appearances for the club, a feat matched only by Roberto Baggio and Darko Kovacevic. It remains to be seen whether he will again partner Kolo Muani, after the pair started together for the first time against Rennes.
Lecce are also short of goals up front, as William Geubbels, Nikola Stulic and Paco Esteban have yet to score in the league between them. Lassana Coulibaly and Santiago Pierotti were injured last week, and Ivan Ilic and Medon Berisha are still out, with Berisha struggling to shake off a thigh problem.
Probable Starting XI’s
Lecce possible XI (4-3-3): Falcone; Veiga, Gabriel, Gaspar, Gallo; Kaba, Ngom, Maleh; N’Dri, Geubbels, Monteiro
Juventus possible XI (3-4-1-2): Vicario; Kalulu, Bremer, Lucumi; McKennie, Luiz, Sarr, Cambiaso; Alajbegovic; Kolo Muani, Woltemade
Prediction
Juve are dealing with fatigue, poor form and a long injury list, so three points at Lecce are far from guaranteed. The hosts have leaned on set pieces in the absence of a functioning strikeforce, but better opponents should expose those limits.
Prediction: Lecce 0-1 Juventus
