Lecce vs. Cremonese – News and Probable Lineups

Lecce is set to host Cremonese at Stadio Via del Mare this Sunday in a Serie A fixture that could be pivotal for both teams’ chances of avoiding relegation.

With only one position separating the two sides in the standings as they approach gameweek 28, Lecce hopes to overtake their rivals with a win this weekend. However, that will depend on the league’s lowest-scoring team finding effective attacking strategies against their relegation counterparts.

Match overview

Recent victories against Udinese and Cagliari have given a vital boost to Eusebio Di Françasco’s Lecce, breaking an eight-match streak without a win and reviving their hopes for Serie A survival.

Yet, the mood has slightly shifted following two consecutive losses, although the team in 18th place find themselves level on points with their Lombardy opponents ahead of this crucial relegation clash.

Indeed, diligent Lecce fans are aware that the team was not expected to emerge victorious against league leaders Inter de Milão and fifth-placed Como. Thus, they are eager for a chance to play against an opponent of comparable skill and resources this weekend.

After demonstrating resilience with two wins in February, the lowest-scoring team in the league aims to put the recent defeats against stronger opponents behind them and aim to escape the relegation zone following round 28.

Despite failing to score in four of their last six matches in Apulia, a match against a struggling Cremonese side presents a good opportunity to move out of the bottom three.

This goal is certainly within reach, especially considering the visitors’ ongoing search for their first Serie A victory since they secured two wins back in late 2025.

Davide Nicola’s squad enjoyed a 3-1 and a 2-1 victory over Bologna and Lecce, respectively, to end a three-match losing streak. However, few anticipated that these wins would not provide the necessary momentum for the returning team.

Currently, they find themselves without a win in 13 matches, losing nine of those encounters, leaving them in a troubling position.

Nicola’s side is one of three Serie A teams yet to secure a win in 2026, sharing a joint-low of three points with bottom club Hellas Verona, and their inability to score further complicates matters.

No team in the top league has scored fewer goals than La Cremo’s three—this tally is four fewer than Lecce and Verona, both of whom have netted seven.

However, Lecce has conceded four fewer than Cremonese, whose -15 goal difference since the beginning of 2026 is the second worst in the league, underscoring the challenges the away side faces ahead of their journey to Apulia, where they seek to avoid their sixth successive defeat on the road.

Team News

Following his contributions in the victories over Udinese and Cagliari, January signing Omri Gandelman’s status will be evaluated after he left the pitch with a potential injury during the defeat to Como.

While the Salentini will also assess Medon Berisha, Françasco Camarda and Kialonda Gaspar are expected to be unavailable for Di Françasco’s squad.

If Gandelman is ruled out, Lecce will count on Lameck Banda—who has three goals and three assists—for creativity in the attacking area. Banda scored against Udinese and provided an assist in the recent loss to Como.

The hunt for match-winning players for Cremonese continues this weekend, as they look to Federico Bonazzoli and Jamie Vardy for inspiration.

Nonetheless, Bonazzoli has not found the net in 13 matches since scoring a penalty in the earlier fixture against Lecce in December, and Vardy has neither scored nor assisted since achieving both in the January draw with Cagliari.

While Nicola hopes for a turnaround from his key forwards, he will have to cope without the suspended Filippo Terracciano and injured Federico Baschirotto, with the club’s medical staff set to evaluate Michele Collocolo, Martin Payero, and Faris Moumbagna.

Lecce probable starting XI:

Falcon; Veiga, Gabriel, Siebert, Gallo; Coulibaly, Ramadani, Banda; Pierotti, Cheddira, Sottil

Cremonese probable starting XI:

Audero; Folino, Cianchetti, Luperto; Zerbin, Thorsby, Maleh, Vandeputte, Pezzella; Vardy, Bonazzoli

With both teams grappling to find results, Lecce’s recent successes demonstrate their potential to secure maximum points if everything aligns.

Given Cremonese’s ongoing scoring difficulties, they are likely to be narrowly defeated by Lecce in Apulia, and their winless streak could extend to 14 matches this weekend, possibly relegating them into the bottom three.