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November 21 2024, 23:40 · Alex Lawes

Venezia vs Lecce Preview: Team News & Prediction

Venezia vs Lecce Preview: Team News & Prediction

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After a slow start to the season following their promotion, Venezia have been improving as the season has gone on under Di Francesco with the Venetians set to take on a poor Lecce side at Pier Luigi Penzo. 

Kick-off date/time: Sunday 24th November, 2024: UK – 7:45pm / US ET – 2:45pm / US PT – 11:45am

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+

Venezia Preview: Eusebio’s entertainers

Following their promotion to the top-flight of Italian football last season, Venezia lost manager Paolo Vanoli and he was replaced by former Roma boss Eusebio Di Francesco. The Venetians begin this weekend’s round of fixtures sitting rock-bottom in Serie A with just two victories in their opening 12 matches of the campaign.

The home team come into this one on the back of a 2-1 defeat at home to Parma which made it back-to-back victories to head into the November international break. Venezia have quite a naïve style of football implemented by Di Francesco, known for his tactical naivety with only four teams conceding more than them in Serie A this season. 

Lecce Preview: Lacklustre Lecce

During the March international break, Lecce managed to eventually steer themselves clear of the bottom three and the relegation places with the appointment of Luca Gotti. The Apulia-based club remain with Gotti in charge but they have struggled at the start of this season with just two victories in their opening 12 matches of the 2024/25 campaign.

Lecce come into this one on the back of a 1-1 draw against Empoli at Stadio Via del Mare in their most recent outing a couple of weeks ago thanks to a 77th minute equaliser from Simone Pierotti. They begin this weekend’s round of fixtures sitting in the bottom three and the relegation places in Serie A.

Venezia Team News: Fully fit

The home team have a fully fit and available squad for this weekend with no injury concerns or suspension issues after dealing with a couple of absentees throughout the season.

Iceland international Bjarkar Bjarkason has returned to full fitness but Venezia will likely want to name an unchanged eleven as they look for some consistency and fluency. 

Predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Stankovic; Altare, Svoboda, Haps; Candela, Caviglia, Duncan, Ellertsson; Yeboah, Busio; Pohjanpalo

Unavailable: 

Questionable: 

Lecce Team News: A few issues

There are a few injury issues for Lecce this weekend as Medon Berisha is a doubt with a knee injury, whilst attacker Kevin Bonifazi is dealing with a thigh injury.

As well as that couple of doubts, Lecce are dealing with some definite absentees, too, as Balthazar Pierret is sidelined alongside Lameck Banda. 

Predicted XI (4-5-1): Falcone; Guilbert, Gaspar, Baschirotto, Gallo; Dorgu, Oudin, Ramadani, Rafia, Sambia; Krstovic

Unavailable: Pierret (Injured), Banda (Injured)

Questionable: Berisha (Injured), Bonifazi (Injured)

Venezia vs Lecce Prediction

As mentioned, the Di Francesco way of doing things is very attacking to the point where has been consistently labelled as naïve with his sides falling away at key moments, as was the case with both Roma and Frosinone to damaging consequences. Lecce will sense an opportunity for an important away win in Venice so should be a little more forward in their outlook, whilst Venezia, with home advantage, do have the capabilities to string attacks together, as a result both teams scoring seems a good bet. 

Venezia vs Lecce Tip: Both teams to score