The Matchday 1 clash in Serie A between Genoa and Lecce will take place on August 23 at the Luigi Ferraris Stadium. Genoa vs. Lecce: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Genoa
Last season, the team finished in 13th place with 43 points. As a result, Genoa failed to break into the top 10 of Serie A for the tenth consecutive season. Notably, the club had a poor end to the season, securing only one win in their last seven matches (2 draws, 4 losses). However, in their last three Serie A matches, the Genoese scored seven goals. In preparation for the season, the team played four friendly matches, winning two and drawing two.
During the off-season, defenders Koni De Winter and Mattia Bani, as well as forward Honest Ahanor, left the team. Meanwhile, Genoa strengthened their squad by signing defender Jamil Siebert and midfielder Nicolae Stanciu. Additionally, the club loaned defender Leo Ostigard, midfielders Albert Gronbek and Valentin Carboni, as well as forward Lorenzo Colombo.
- The club has not lost in 9 of their last 13 home matches in Serie A (5 wins, 4 draws).
- The team has scored exactly 1 or 2 goals in 9 of their last 10 home league games.
- The Genoese have conceded no more than one goal in 6 of their last 9 home Serie A matches.
Predicted lineup for Genoa (4-5-1)
Nicola Leali – Brooke Norton-Cuffy, Leo Ostigard, Johan Vasquez, Aaron Martin Caricol – Valentin Carboni, Morten Frendrup, Nicolae Stanciu, Ruslan Malinovskyi, Albert Gronbek – Lorenzo Colombo.
Lecce
The club will play its fourth consecutive season in Serie A for the first time in its history. Last season, Lecce avoided relegation by winning their final two matches, finishing 17th with 34 points. However, the team had the worst goal-scoring record in Serie A with only 27 goals. Additionally, they scored just 14 times in away matches, the lowest in the league. During the off-season, Lecce played four friendly matches, winning two (1 draw, 1 loss).
In the current transfer window, defender Federico Baschirotto and forwards Ante Rebic and Nikola Krstovic left the team. Meanwhile, Lecce signed defender Krist-Owen Kouassi. Additionally, the club loaned forwards Riccardo Sottil and Francesco Camarda. It is also worth noting that the team will be managed by Eusebio Di Francesco this season.
- The team has not won in 6 of their last 7 away Serie A matches (3 draws, 3 losses).
- The club scored exactly once in five of their last away league games.
- Both teams scored in 7 of Lecce's last 10 away Serie A matches.
Predicted lineup for Lecce (4-5-1)
Vladimiro Falcone – Antonino Gallo, Thiago Gabriel, Kialonda Gaspar, Krist-Owen Kouassi – Lassana Coulibaly, Balthazar Pierre, Thorir Helgason, Konan N'Dri, Tete Morente – Francesco Camarda.
Forward Santiago Pierotti will not play due to suspension.
Referee
Davide Massa (Italy)
Matches – 19 (Serie A, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 82;
Average yellow cards per match – 4.3;
Red cards shown – 5;
Average fouls per match – 26;
Penalties – 11%.
Genoa vs. Lecce: Match Prediction
The Genoese perform with mixed success at home, but they prefer to play an attacking game. As a result, Genoa rarely fails to score: in their last ten home league matches, the team only failed to break through the opposition's defense once. This happened against Lazio, where the Genoese played with ten men from the middle of the first half. Meanwhile, the team conceded in 5 of their last 6 home matches.
Lecce did not have high scoring numbers last season, but they regularly found the net in away matches towards the end: in their last five away Serie A matches, the team never left the field without scoring. However, in 10 of their last 12 away league matches, Lecce failed to keep a clean sheet.
It is also worth noting that in the last three head-to-head encounters at Genoa's home in Serie A, both teams have scored. My prediction: Both teams to score – yes
