Serie A matchweek 4 puts Lecce against Monza on 13 September 2026 at Stadio Via del Mare, with Lecce sitting 14th on three points and Monza propping up the table on one. Lecce need a home win to avoid being dragged into a bottom three battle after three points from nine, while Monza need to stop a run that has seen them concede eight in three games without a clean sheet.
Di Francesco and Jurić have never faced each other as managers, with Di Francesco having taken charge at Lecce on 26 June 2025 after replacing Marco Giampaolo, while Jurić arrived at Monza on 1 July 2026 following Paolo Bianco's departure after the club's promotion through the Serie B playoffs.
Lecce's last five outings produced L L W L W across league, Coppa Italia and friendly fixtures. They fell 1-0 to Cagliari on 7 September, were hammered 4-0 by Roma on 31 August, then beat Venezia 2-0 on 23 August before losing 2-0 to Palermo in the Coppa on 17 August and edging Monza 1-0 in a pre season friendly on 9 August. Monza's recent record reads D L L W: a 1-1 draw with Parma on 6 September was followed by a 3-2 loss at Udinese on 29 August and a 4-1 defeat at Inter on 22 August, though they did claim a 1-0 Coppa win over Torino on 1 September.
Lecce will be without Willem Geubbels, who remains sidelined with an ankle injury, while Monza miss both I. Touré and M. Pessina through knee problems, absences that thin out both sides' attacking options considerably. With Geubbels out, Coulibaly is Lecce's most advanced midfielder in the lineup and Tiago Gabriel will need to step further out of defence to initiate attacks, whereas Monza will be forced to ask more of Varela and Folorunsho without their missing pair.
Lecce set up in a 4 1 4 1 with the single pivot covering the back four while wide midfielders tuck in to deny central space, leaving them well placed to spring quick transitions once they regain possession. Di Francesco's side have been strong at home, where dead balls and counter attacks have been productive and defender Tiago Gabriel already has a goal from a set piece this season.
Monza, under Jurić, press high in a man oriented structure built around a 3 4 2 1 or wing back shape, with the system demanding constant pressure on the ball and fast recovery in advanced areas. Early season evidence suggests teams that bypass the first press can advance into the half spaces Monza's wing backs vacate when they press and eight goals conceded in three rounds backs that up. Varela will look to run in behind off the shoulder of Lecce's centre backs, while Folorunsho must cover the ground Touré and Pessina would normally cover, which reduces Monza's options between the lines.
The central midfield battle between Coulibaly and Folorunsho is probably where this is decided. Coulibaly drifts between lines and picks passes while Folorunsho presses and covers ground and whoever claims more second balls dictates where the game is played. Lecce's compact shape will try to funnel Monza's wing backs into congested areas wide where Falcone can claim crosses, while Varela running in behind is the most direct way Monza can score if Lecce's centre backs push up to mark the wing backs. Without Touré and Pessina, Monza have fewer options for rotating in attack, so if Lecce can double up on Varela in wide areas and isolate him, that threat largely disappears. Whether Monza can sustain pressure long enough to create overloads or whether Lecce's transitions and set piece threat punish any gap in the visitors' high line is where this game gets decided.
Lecce hold the better head to head record with roughly four wins, one loss and five draws and recent meetings have been tight and low scoring, including a 0-0 draw in February 2025.
Set pieces are where Lecce are most dangerous, with Gabriel already having scored from one this season and Di Francesco's side structuring dead balls carefully at home. Monza's high defensive line gives Lecce's set piece runners space to attack the second ball before Monza's backline resets and conceding early could force them to chase a game their press is not currently equipped to rescue.
Lecce 2-1 Monza. The absences of Touré and Pessina limit Monza's attacking rotation at exactly the wrong time and if Coulibaly stays compact and denies Folorunsho second balls in the first twenty minutes, Lecce have the platform.
Ryan Baldi
Football Writer
Ryan Baldi is a professional football writer with years of experience and has been featured by respected outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian, Sky Sports, DAZN, FourFourTwo, ESPN, Yahoo Sport and Football365. He has also written several books including Arsène Who?.
