napoli vs lecce opens the 29th matchday of the 2025-26 Serie A with managers Antonio Conte and Marco Di Francesco finalising starting XIs that set contrasting tactical frames. Conte names Meret in goal and fields Beukema, Buongiorno and Olivera across the back, while Di Francesco lines up Falcone in goal and Stulic as his centre-forward. The choices make the match an early tactical test for both sides.
Napoli Vs Lecce – Starting lineups and formations
Napoli (Coach: Conte) will start: Meret; Beukema, Buongiorno, Olivera; Politano, Anguissa, Gilmour, Spinazzola; Elmas, Alisson Santos; Hojlund. Conte’s selection places Anguissa and Gilmour in midfield with wide thrust from Politano and Spinazzola supporting a single striker.
Lecce (Coach: Di Francesco) will start: Falcone; Veiga, Tiago Gabriel, Siebert, Gallo; Coulibaly, Ramadani; Pierotti, Ngom, Banda; Stulic. Di Francesco’s lineup sets Pierotti, Ngom and Banda on the trequartista lines behind Stulic, with Coulibaly and Ramadani anchoring the midfield.
Key tactical reads and immediate implications
Conte’s setup for napoli vs lecce emphasises a back three core with wing players tasked to provide width and support Hojlund centrally. The midfield pairing of Anguissa and Gilmour suggests an effort to balance defensive cover with build-up control, while Elmas and Alisson Santos operate in the spaces behind the central striker.
Di Francesco’s choices for Lecce put Stulic at the point of attack, supported by a trio on the trequartista line. Falcone is selected in goal with a four-man defensive line of Veiga, Tiago Gabriel, Siebert and Gallo. The midfield combination of Coulibaly and Ramadani indicates a desire for compactness and transitions through the flanks.
Immediate reactions and named staff
Antonio Conte, Head Coach of Napoli, finalised the squad with Meret in goal and a defensive trio of Beukema, Buongiorno and Olivera. Marco Di Francesco, Head Coach of Lecce, set Falcone between the posts and selected Stulic as the team’s focal point up front. Both coaches have left clear fingerprints on their starting XIs: Conte with a structured three-defender build and Di Francesco with an emphasis on trequartista support for his striker.
Quick context
This selection of starters is for the 29th matchday of the 2025-26 Serie A season. The named lineups bring clarity to each team’s immediate match plan and player roles.
What’s next
With these starters confirmed, napoli vs lecce will move from selection into execution: the formations and individual matchups announced by Conte and Di Francesco will be tested once play begins. Attention will focus on how Napoli’s wing play and midfield structure handle Lecce’s trequartista support for Stulic, and whether the chosen defensive shapes sustain pressure throughout the match.
