Lecce vs Sassuolo Prediction for 18 October 2025 - Football

📢 What surprises might the clash between Lecce and Sassuolo bring in the 7th round of the Italian Championship? At the Stadio Via del Mare, two teams at opposite emotional spectrums will face off: the hosts are just beginning to emerge from a crisis, while the visitors have gained momentum after a poor start. For Lecce, it's an opportunity to solidify their success and prove that their victory over Parma (1-0) was no fluke, while for Sassuolo, it's a chance to extend their winning streak and climb higher in the standings. This promises to be an intriguing matchup.

Head-to-Head

📊 Over the past decade, Lecce and Sassuolo have faced each other eight times, with the "Neroverdi" holding the advantage—four wins, three draws, and just one loss. Their most recent clash took place last season, even though the teams were competing in different tiers (meeting in the Coppa Italia). On that occasion, Sassuolo confidently dispatched their opponents, defeating Lecce 2-0 away—a result that came as quite a surprise to many spectators.

Lecce Team Overview

🔴 Lecce's start to the new season can hardly be termed successful. Yes, they currently sit 15th in the table, but just a week ago, they were in the relegation zone. It wasn't until October 4th that the Salentians secured their first league victory, defeating Parma away (1-0) and keeping a clean sheet for the first time in a while — they had conceded at least two goals in each of their previous five matches.

🟡 However, their performance in Parma was not particularly impressive. Eusebio Di Francesco's side played defensively, holding just 37% possession and managing only seven shots with an xG of 0.46. Nevertheless, it's crucial to highlight their solid defensive display — calm, precise, and disciplined. This defensive resilience allowed Lecce to secure a much-needed victory and slightly stabilize their league position.

Sassuolo Calcio Team Overview

🟢 After two rounds, Sassuolo were the only team in Serie A without any points. However, the September break clearly benefited the "Neroverdi". Fabio Grosso's squad restructured their gameplay, gained confidence, and delivered a strong run. In their last four matches, the team secured three wins and picked up 9 points, climbing into the top half of the standings. Their only loss in this stretch came in an away match against Inter (1-2), where Sassuolo put up a commendable performance and had genuine chances for a draw towards the end.

⚫ Before the October international break, the club claimed a crucial three points on the road against Verona (1-0). The team showcased disciplined defensive play—while they allowed 17 shots (9 on target) against them, there were no truly dangerous moments. The winning goal was scored from a penalty, earned in the 71st minute due to active play in the box. Now, the club's main objective is to maintain their high standards and not lose their newfound confidence.

Latest news

Lecce

📣 Lecce head coach Eusebio Di Francesco, following their 1-0 victory over Parma, highlighted that the team took a step forward in terms of character and confidence: "This win gives us great confidence in what we're doing in training... We hardly allowed Parma any chances, and the end of the match felt like real English football." According to Di Francesco, the team has improved in game intelligence: "We lacked cunning before – today the players showed it, and that's pleasing."

🚫 Lecce continue to face significant squad issues. Balthazar Pierre will miss the match due to a gastrointestinal issue. The team remains without the services of Filip Marchinski and Gabi Jean, both recovering from cruciate ligament injuries and expected to return only by the end of October. Adding to the list of absentees is Matias Perez, sidelined with a thigh injury until the start of November.

Sassuolo Calcio

📣 Sassuolo's head coach Fabio Grosso highlighted the significance of their away victory over Verona (1-0), saying, "Leaving here with a win is invaluable; I know how tough it is to earn points at Bentegodi." Reflecting on Pinamonti's penalty incident, the coach admitted with a smile, "I didn't watch—I was recharging my energy. Next time I'll watch, especially since things turned out well." When asked about their league prospects, Grosso remained reserved: "Three points off fourth place? I'll skip that question. Our main goal is to stay clear of the relegation zone."

📊 Italian media note this marks Sassuolo's first clean sheet in Serie A over their last 28 away matches, and it's one of their rare victories on the road.

🚫 Sassuolo face significantly fewer issues: only Edoardo Pieragnolo is doubtful due to physical discomfort. His participation will be decided closer to the match.

⚽️ Goal Prediction

⚽️ Goal Prediction

Lecce have had a shaky start to the season, struggling in attack and finding it hard to accumulate points. Their scoring woes date back to the end of last season, and the coaching staff have yet to find a solution over the summer break. In 15 of their last 16 Serie A matches, the "Salentini" have scored no more than one goal. The only exception was a home game against the inconsistent Bologna, which ended 2-2. Therefore, our betting pick is Lecce total under 1.5 goals.

🚩 Corner Prediction

While Sassuolo are comfortably mid-table in ninth place, their corner stats are dismal. On average, the "Neroverdi" earn just 2.3 corners per match—the lowest in Serie A at this point in time. This is due to their playing style, which focuses on vertical passes and central attacks, rarely pushing the ball out wide. Therefore, we are backing Lecce to win the corner count, as their numbers in this area are strong, averaging 4.8 corners per match.