7M - Preview: Cagliari vs Lecce - Predictions, Team News, and Lineups

After snapping their lengthy winless streak last week, relegation-threatened Lecce will face Cagliari on Monday evening in the final match of Serie A's 25th round.

While Lecce remains deeply entrenched in relegation danger, their hosts from Sardinia have made significant strides toward safety since the beginning of 2026.

Match Preview

Cagliari recently climbed to 12th place in the table following three consecutive victories. Wins against Juventus, Fiorentina, and Hellas Verona set them on course for another year in Italy's top tier. However, their winning streak came to a halt last week with a 2-0 defeat to Donyell Malen's double at the Stadio Olimpico.

Despite the setback, Cagliari's 28-point tally is their highest at this stage of a Serie A season since 2020, and they last conceded fewer goals in 2012. With back-to-back clean sheets at home against Juventus and Verona, Fabio Pisacane's squad will aim to maintain that defensive trend when facing Lecce. Achieving a third straight home win—something they last managed six seasons ago—seems plausible given their historical success against the Salentini.

In terms of head-to-head, Cagliari has claimed six wins and suffered just one loss in 11 top-flight meetings with Lecce at home, with that single defeat dating back over a decade. In their last encounter in September, Andrea Belotti's brace left Lecce empty-handed, continuing a poor record against Cagliari, including a 4-1 loss in their latest visit.

As Lecce prepares for this crucial matchup, they find themselves familiar with the relegation battle, having taken just one point from their previous five outings prior to facing Udinese last week. Lecce's scoring woes left them perilously close to the drop zone, making their 2-1 win secured by Lameck Banda's stunning last-minute free kick something of a shock and a relief.

Under pressure, coach Eusebio Di Francesco met critical fans with frustration but ultimately celebrated the much-needed victory. Now, Lecce seeks back-to-back league wins for the first time since Di Francesco's return, mirroring their success during the final two matchdays of last season, which helped ensure their survival.

However, Lecce has only managed one point from their last six away matches, scoring just once—making Cagliari a challenging opponent.

Possible Starting Lineups:

Cagliari:
Caprile; Zappa, Mina, Rodriguez; Palestra, Adopo, Gaetano, Mazzitelli, Obert; Esposito, Kilicsoy

Lecce:
Falcone; Veiga, Gabriel, Gaspar, Gallo; Coulibaly, Ramadani; Pierotti, Gandelman, Sottil; Cheddira

Prediction: Cagliari 1-0 Lecce

Given that Lecce is the league's lowest scorers, currently going 315 minutes without an away goal, and Cagliari having just kept consecutive clean sheets at home, this match is likely to be closely contested. However, the home side's form should edge them closer to safety while leaving Lecce in a precarious position.