Preview: Lecce vs. Hellas Verona - prediction, team news, lineups

Separated by four points in the standings, both sides are in serious danger of demotion, but the hosts could take a huge step towards salvation by beating a major relegation rival.

Match preview

Should they manage to achieve just a fourth home win of their comeback campaign, Lecce would move seven points clear of Verona in the table and leave themselves in a strong position ahead of their final four games.

Crowned Serie B champions just a year ago, the Puglian side started off their pursuit of mid-table safety in commendable fashion, but they have faltered in recent weeks to tumble ever closer to the trapdoor.

Wednesday's 2-1 loss at Juventus was their seventh in 10 outings, and only victory over Udinese at the end of last month - when Gabriel Strefezza scored the winner at Via del Mare - has broken the gloom.

Alongside Sunday's showdown with Verona and a tough trip to Lazio, Lecce must also tackle another candidate for the drop, Spezia, during a potentially pivotal three-game spell, and coach Marco Baroni will be acutely aware of how decisive it could be.

However, his side have won just one of seven home matches during the second half of the season, and that record must surely improve if the Giallorossi are not to be surpassed by their rivals for survival.

Though they were victorious in January's reverse fixture, running out 2-0 winners against Lecce at Stadio Bentegodi, Verona remain the only club across Europe's top 10 leagues yet to win away from home this season.

Having drawn seven and lost nine of their Serie A fixtures on the road so far, the Gialloblu faithful will be desperately hoping their team can succeed at the 17th attempt - particularly given the psychological impact of a midweek thrashing on home soil.

Conceding six times in the final hour to Inter left a humbled Hellas side tied with 17th-placed Spezia in the standings, but as their head-to-head record with the Ligurians is negative, they would go down if the pair finish level on points.

Still to play both Milan and Atalanta during the run-in, Verona must also tackle Empoli and a Torino team coached by their esteemed ex-coach Ivan Juric before the close of play next month.

Therefore, victory in Lecce would relieve a little pressure on Marco Zaffaroni's men ahead of such a defining period of the season.

Lecce Serie A form:

L

L

D

L

W

L

Hellas Verona Serie A form:

L

W

D

W

D

L

Team News

As eight-goal top scorer Gabriel Strefezza returns from suspension on Sunday, Lameck Banda is likely to be demoted to Lecce's bench, and a more familiar lineup should be selected by Marco Baroni after several changes were made in Turin.

Samuel Umtiti and Federico Baschirotto are set to be re-united in central defence, with Simone Romagnoli among those making way; Milan loanee Lorenzo Colombo may again lose out to Assan Ceesay up front.

Meanwhile, Marco Zaffaroni is bound to shuffle his pack following a 6-0 defeat in midweek, and the Verona coach could even consider reverting to a back three at Via del Mare.

After his calamitous own-goal against Inter, Adolfo Gaich may make way for Milan Djuric up front, while Josh Doig and Ondrej Duda front the queue for promotion to the starting XI.

Darko Lazovic last scored a Serie A goal back in January's reverse fixture, but the versatile Serbian should feature either out wide or alongside Simone Verdi in support of the visitors' lone frontman.

Lecce possible starting lineup:

Falcone; Gendrey, Baschirotto, Umtiti, Gallo; Blin, Hjulmand, Gonzalez; Strefezza, Ceesay, Oudin

Hellas Verona possible starting lineup:

Montipo; Dawidowicz, Hien, Magnani; Faraoni, Tameze, Abildgaard, Lazovic; Duda, Verdi; Djuric

We say: Lecce 1-0 Hellas Verona

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