Lecce vs Juventus Preview: Team News & Prediction
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It has been a massive struggle for Lecce this season as they pushed away from the bottom three following the appointment of Luca Gotti in the back end of last year as they now host a Juventus side struggling to adapt to Thiago Motta’s methods.
Kick-off date/time: Sunday 1st December, 2024: UK – 7:45pm / US ET – 2:45pm / US PT – 11:45am
How to watch on TV: UK – TNT Sports / US – Select matches will be televised on CBS Sports so it is worth checking their schedule
How to watch online: UK – TNT Sports & OneFootball / US – Paramount+
Lecce Preview: Lacklustre Lecce
Luca Gotti has been under pressure throughout this season but results have improved over the last few weeks with just one defeat in their last four matches in Serie A as they push themselves away from the bottom three and the relegation places with an extremely defensive style of football.
That extremely defensive style of football has seen the Apulia-based club score just six goals in 13 matches so far this season – five fewer than anyone else in the league ahead of this weekend. They come into this one on the back of a 1-0 win in Venice against fellow strugglers Venezia thanks to a 70th minute winner from Patrick Dorgu.
Juventus Preview: Boring Bianconeri
Thiago Motta led Bologna to fifth last season and UEFA Champions League qualification for the first time in over 60 years. The Old Lady pinched him as part of their project to try and modernise and make their club more dynamic and younger but that more modern style of football has been emphatically dull throughout this season.
With six wins and seven draws in Serie A, they are the only unbeaten side in the league but begin the 14th match day sitting sixth in the table and they shared yet another goalless draw in the UEFA Champions League in midweek against Aston Villa at Villa Park. That was their fifth goalless draw of the season across all competitions.
Lecce Team News: No need to change
The home team have no fresh injury concerns or suspension issues for this weekend’s clash with Juventus so, after a win last week, will likely name an unchanged eleven for this one.
They do still have a couple of injury issues that are pre-existing, though, as Lameck Banda remains sidelined alongside Balthazer Pierret with Kevin Bonifazi an injury doubt.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Falcone; Guilbert, Gaspar, Baschirotto, Gallo; Coulibaly, Ramadani, Rafia; Dorgu, Krstovic, Pierotti
Unavailable: Banda (Injured), Pierret (Injured)
Questionable: Bonifazi (Injured)
Juventus Team News: Problems for Thiago
Dusan Vlahovic is officially injured but he played for Serbia over the international break where he did criticise the style of football at club level. He is among several absentees for this one.
Centre-back Bremer is still dealing with an ACL injury alongside summer signings Douglas Luiz and Nicolas Gonzalez with Weston McKennie also a doubt for this one.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Di Gregorio; Savona, Kalulu, Gatti, Cambiaso; Locatelli, Thuram; Conceicao, Koopmeiners, Weah; Yildiz
Unavailable: Bremer (Injured), Adzic (Injured), Juan Cabal (Injured), Douglas Luiz (Injured), Gonzalez (Injured), Vlahovic (Injured), Milik (Injured)
Questionable: McKennie (Injured)
Lecce vs Juventus Prediction
Lecce are among the lowest scorers anywhere in Europe with an extremely pragmatic and defensive style of football implemented by Gotti. It kept them up last season and may do again this season but it is expected to be fairly painful throughout for the neutral. Juventus are lacking goals and a cutting edge in attack, especially without Vlahovic. They have been difficult to beat with one loss in 18 matches across all competitions so far this season but it is expected to be a low-scoring affair.
Lecce vs Juventus Tip: Juventus to win & under 3.5 goals
