Lecce and Cagliari square off in a Serie A fixture on Saturday with both teams still seeking their first win of the season. There has been nothing to separate them in recent times and another stalemate could be on the cards here.
It has been a difficult start to the season for Lecce, who are still seeking their first Serie A win of the campaign. They have lost their opening two fixtures, failing to score a single goal so far.
Lecce began their campaign with a 4-0 home defeat to Atalanta before losing 2-0 at champions Inter Milan. Beyond the lack of goals, manager Luca Gotti is also likely to be concerned about the team’s defending having conceded six goals in just two Serie A matches.
Cagliari have also not been at their best as they head into Saturday’s clash still seeking their first Serie A win of the session. They began with a 0-0 draw with Roma in their opening fixture before being held to a 1-1 scoreline with Como last time out.
While things have not been smooth for Cagliari, Manager Davide Nicola will be keen to focus on the positives as they are still unbeaten this season. However, their defending in the previous fixture might be troubling as they failed to hold on their first half lead and were eventually breached.
How the bookies view it: Lecce on top
Lecce have the upper hand among the bookies, with a home win priced at 23/20 by Betfred. A victory turn for Cagliari is valued at 11/5 by Betfred, who is also offering odds of 11/5 for a draw.
Head to head: Evenly matched rivals
Lecce have a 6-5 edge with nine draws from 20 previous matches against Cagliari. The last four meetings have ended in draws, with both teams battling to 1-1 scoreline in the two meetings last season.
Players to watch: Krstovic to stand out
Although things are rough in Serie A, Lecce claimed a win in the first round of the Coppa Italia, with Nikola Krstovic on target. The forward was also on the score sheet against Cagliari last season and is priced at 20/10 by Betfred to find the net on Saturday.
Roberto Piccoli is finally off the mark for Cagliari after scoring the opener last time out against Como. The attacker could be worth keeping an eye on to score anytime at 11/4 with Betfred.
Probable line-ups
Lecce will be without Nicola Sansone and Ante Rebic, who are both sidelined with injury. Krstovic should lead the line once again while Kialonda Gaspar should start in defence.
Gianluca Lapadula came off the bench in the previous fixture and could be handed a start on Saturday. The striker should partner Piccoli in attack while Yerry Mina should continue in the heart of the defence.
Lecce: Falcone, Gendrey, Gaspar, Baschirotto, Gallo, Ramadani, Pierret, Dorgu, Rafia, Banda, Krstovic
Cagliari: Scuffet, Luperto, Mina, Zappa, Augello, Marin, Prati, Deiola, Azzi, Piccoli, Lapadula
Anything else catch the eye?
Both teams have been on target in their last two meetings and could be set for a repeat at 10/11 with Betfred. Over 2.5 goals could also be considered at 5/4 with Betfred, who is also offering 100/30 for over 3.5 goals.
A closely fought opening is expected on Saturday, so the second half could be tipped to produce the most goals at 23/20 with Betfred.
This Serie A match between Lecce and Cagliari will be played on Aug 31, 2024 and kick off at 17:30. Check below for our tipsters best Lecce vs Cagliari prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
