Lecce-Bologna is a Serie A Week 38 match played on Sunday at 21:00: fixtures, predictions, TV and streaming
Lecce have definitely pulled themselves out of the bitter fight not to be relegated with one round to spare. It did so thanks to a penalty scored in the 11th minute of stoppage time by AC Milan striker Colombo, sending the Giallorossi fans into ecstasy as they flocked to Monza last Sunday. Salvation is now a done deal
The Salentini, after having resisted for a whole game thanks to a solid defensive performance, won at the end of the match: a few moments before they had even risked going into the disadvantage and they have to thank the Danish Gytkjaer’s mistake from the penalty spot – the same one who later committed the hand-foul – if they can now treat themselves to a weekend of peace and already start planning the next season. Lecce could actually have rejoiced several weeks ago if they had not relaxed too much from February onwards, thinking they had made it. Marco Baroni’s men only ‘woke up’ in the last few days, when they had already been sucked into the tussle. They came out of it thanks to the success in Monza (0-1) and also to the two draws in a row against Lazio at the Olimpico but especially in the direct clash with Spezia.
Lecce saved with one round to spare
The match against Bologna, another team with no more goals to chase like Lecce, will have no value for the classification. The Felsinei fought to the last for eighth place, a position that could guarantee them Europe in the event of Juventus’ disqualification by Uefa, but the physiological drop in recent weeks has taken them out of the race.
Arnautovic
Thiago Motta’s men are coming off three draws and a win and haven’t lost for a month, when they were defeated at home by Empoli. It is worth underlining their show of character a week ago against Italian champions Napoli. Down 0-2 at the start of the second half, the Rossoblù were able to come back, piercing the Neapolitan defence first through Ferguson – this season’s great revelation – and finally through De Silvestri, who dedicated his goal to the late Sinisa Mihajlovic. Bologna’s season remains positive in any case, even if some motivation failed in the final. And the excellent Italo-Brazilian coach, assuming he decides to stay in Emilia, will have to work precisely on this aspect.
Lecce-Bologna: latest line-up news
In an atmosphere of celebration for the salvation achieved, Baroni could decide to give space in the match to some players who have played little so far. In attack, Colombo, decisive against Monza, has the advantage in the duel with Ceesay: on his sides there will be Strefezza and Banda. In the middle, with Oudin and Blin, Hjulmand, now recovered from injury, will be back.
The usual 4-2-3-1 for Thiago Motta, who unlike his colleague has to deal with many absences. The disqualified Dominguez will be absent, as will the unavailable Soumaoro, Soriano and Kyriakopoulos. In the midfield it will be Moro’s turn to flank Schouten, with Orsolini, Ferguson and Barrow having the task of triggering Arnautovic.
The Prediction
With their minds now clear, Lecce should return to scoring in their own stadium: they failed to do so in their last two games against Verona and Spezia, remaining goalless. Baroni, with salvation in his pocket, will adopt a less conservative attitude. It could be an eventful match, with at least one goal on each side, between two teams that have achieved their respective goals and are already focused on the holidays. Bologna have won three games in a row against the Giallorossi and are unbeaten in their last nine.
Lecce-Bologna’s likely line-up
- LECCE (4-3-3): Falcone; Gendrey, Baschirotto, Umtiti, Gallo; Blin, Hjulmand, Oudin; Strefezza, Colombo, Banda.
- BOLOGNA (4-2-3-1): Skorupski; Posch, Bonifazi, Lucumì, Cambiaso; Moro, Schouten; Orsolini, Ferguson, Barrow; Arnautovic.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 1-1
