Napoli look to bounce back after dropping their first points of the season against Fiorentina, while Lecce look to build momentum after collecting their first point of the season against Empoli.
SSC Napoli
Napoli come into this match tied with five other clubs (Milan, Lazio, Atalanta, Torino and Inter) on seven points. Napoli currently sit top of the table after scoring nine goals and conceding two before their 0-0 draw at the Stadio Artemio Franchi on Sunday.
With only three days rest, Luciano Spalletti will likely rotate his squad ahead of a big match against Lazio on Saturday. Napoli added a number of reinforcements during the summer transfer market, but Giovanni Simeone, Tanguy Ndombele and Giacomo Raspadori are still relatively new to the squad.
US Lecce
Lecce have only one point through three matches in their return to the top flight. However, the Salentini, have proven to be a difficult side to play against.
Inter needed a 95th minute winner from Denzel Dumfries to get past the Giallorossi while Sassuolo relied on a wonder-strike from Domenico Berardi to earn a 1-0 victory in the second round.
Lecce bounced back to draw Empoli 1-1 on Sunday and probably felt they deserved more. Empoli opened the scoring after Fabiano Parisi’s shot took a fortuitous deflection off of Federico Baschirotto before finding the back of the goal. Gabriel Strefezza, who was Lecce’s most dangerous player on the night, equalized with a goal-of-the-week candidate five minutes before the break. Lecce were the better side in the second half but Lameck Banda was denied by a top-class save by Guglielmo Vicario while Assan Ceesay had a goal denied for offside.
Injuries/Suspensions
For Napoli, Diego Demme continues to recover from a foot injury sustained in training. Though not injured or suspended, Fabián Ruiz will not be in the squad due to an impending sale to PSG.
Lecce are without two centre backs: Kastriot Dermaku is out with a thigh injury while Mert Cetin continues to recover from an ankle injury. Joel Voelkerling Persson is also absent with an ankle injury. Both Gabriel Strefezza and Lameck Banda were removed from the Empoli match with minor injuries but both are expected to be in the matchday squad on Wednesday.
Probable Formations
Manager’s Comments
Matteo Politano on behalf of Luciano Spalletti:
“It will be a difficult match. I know the coach and they have also put Inter in difficulty. [They are a] team that plays football well. [It’s a] game to be taken with a grain of salt”
Marco Baroni:
“[We are playing] in an incredible stadium against an opponent who has nothing less than Inter, Milan, Juve and the other big players. A crazy attack, but we have to play a concentrated game, where it might not be enough but we have to try.”
Previous Meetings
| February 9, 2020 | SSC Napoli | 2-3 | US Lecce |
| September 22, 2019 | US Lecce | 1-4 | SSC Napoli |
| April 25, 2020 | US Lecce | 0-2 | SSC Napoli |
| December 3, 2011 | SSC Napoli | 4-2 | US Lecce |
| May 8, 2011 | US Lecce | 2-1 | SSC Napoli |
Match Officials
Head Official: Matteo Marcenaro
Assistants: Alessandro Lo Cicero and Domenico Palermo
Fourth Official: Daniele Doveri
VAR: Rosario Abisso and Mauro Galetto
