Lecce headed into 2024 after consecutive losses in Serie A, but they seek to make amends when they welcome relegation-threatened Cagliari to Stadio Via del mare on Saturday.
The gameweek 19 encounter could see the home side extend their undefeated run against the visiting club to four games.
Match preview
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Lecce went into their penultimate game of 2023 unbeaten in five (four draws) but ended the year with consecutive losses at Inter and Atalanta.
The latter was particularly hurtful as Roberto D'Aversa's men thrived against La Dea and possibly deserved a positive result on the balance of play before and after Ademola Lookman's second-half strike settled the game.
The league's 13th-placed side are keen to record back-to-back home victories to notch their fifth success in front of their supporters.
Having failed to pick up successive triumphs at home since the season began, Lecce hope to pounce on their commendable record against Cagliari and the struggling side's wretched road form.
However, D'Aversa's team must earn their win, as their opponents are fighting for their top-flight status.
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Claudio Ranieri's men have had a mixed return to Serie A this term, with moments of exhilaration often followed by wretched results.
Cagliari secured back-to-back wins over Frosinone and Genoa (4-3 and 2-1 respectively) but have picked up one triumph since November 5, losing four of their seven league matches.
The previous year closed out with an unimpressive goalless game with 19th-placed Empoli, a result that disappointed as Ranieri's 18th-placed team failed to create separation from the Azzurri.
That result was discouraging, even if it extended Cagliari's admirable home run to five without losing (three wins), but their road results leave much to be desired.
The Sardinians have claimed only two points from a possible 27 on their travels, losing seven of nine games, and another defeat on Saturday would be the Rossoblu's fifth straight road reverse.
Team News
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Lameck Banda is still suspended after his sending-off at Inter in Lecce's penultimate game of 2023.
Nicola Sansone (calf) is not expected back until late January, while Kastriot Dermaku (knee) is ruled out until February.
Ranieri's men have a few absentees, with Nahitan Nandez, Gianluca Lapadula, Eldor Shomurodov and Marko Rog all missing from Saturday's group to play the Sardinians.
Leonardo Pavoletti is Cagliari's top scorer with four league goals, and the frontman could be instrumental to the Rossoblu's performance on Saturday.
Lecce possible starting lineup:
Falcone; Gendrey, Baschirotto, Pongracic, Gallo; Gonzalez, Ramadani, Kaba; Strefezza, Krstovic, Oudin
Cagliari possible starting lineup:
Scuffet, Goldaniga, Chatzidiakos, Dossena; Zappa, Makoumbou, Prati, Augello; Viola; Oristanio, Pavoletti
We say: Lecce 1-1 Cagliari
The spoils could be shared in Saturday's encounter, with the club with the most drawn games this term picking up a home point that extends their undefeated run against Cagliari to four games.
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