In the packed schedule of Serie A Matchday 36, one game stands out as potentially decisive in the relegation battle: at the Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi on Sunday, May 11, Hellas Verona (15th, 32 points) host Lecce (17th, 27 points). The home side, coming off three straight losses to Roma, Cagliari, and Inter Milan, are desperate for three points that could potentially put them nine clear of the relegation zone and mathematically secure safety with two matches to spare. The visitors are in a far more precarious position, sitting just two points above second-bottom Empoli—who face a crucial six-pointer against Parma—and one point ahead of third-bottom Venezia, who travel to Fiorentina on Monday. Should Marco Giampaolo’s Lecce side finally manage to clinch a win—something they haven't done in Serie A for three months—it would be a major step towards avoiding relegation, especially if results elsewhere go in their favor. Both Hellas Verona and Lecce are enduring a tough end to the season, each suffering narrow 1-0 defeats last weekend against Inter Milan and Napoli, the league’s top two sides. Hellas Verona currently hold the league’s worst defensive record and have not scored in four consecutive matches, while Lecce boast the weakest attack in Serie A and are sweating over the fitness of top scorer Nikola Krstovic, who has netted 10 league goals but was forced off with a knock against Napoli. His condition remains uncertain.

Hellas Verona Recent Form and Key Stats

On the latest Serie A matchday, Hellas Verona suffered their third straight defeat, falling 1-0 at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza to Inter Milan. The Nerazzurri needed only a ninth-minute penalty from Asllani to secure the win. For the Gialloblù, it marked their fourth straight match without finding the net—the last goal came on April 6th against Torino, scored by Swedish forward Amin Sarr.

While scoring has been the recent issue, defending has been Hellas Verona's Achilles' heel throughout the season under manager Paolo Zanetti: they hold the league's worst defensive record with 63 goals conceded—an average of 1.8 per match, the same as already-relegated Monza. At home, Hellas Verona have picked up 15 of their total 32 points, with 4 wins, 3 draws, and 10 losses. Their last home victory was on February 23 (1-0 vs Fiorentina). Since then, they have registered two draws and two losses at the Bentegodi.

Lecce Recent Form and Key Stats

Lecce come into this match on the back of yet another defeat, this time at home against Napoli (0-1), with Raspadori scoring a direct free-kick. For the Salentini, it marked their 12th consecutive winless game—8 losses and 4 draws. Their last win dates all the way back to January 31 (3-1 away at Parma). In the last 10 Serie A rounds, they have collected just two points, courtesy of draws with Venezia and Atalanta.

Giampaolo's side still rank as the lowest-scoring team in Serie A with only 24 goals (0.69 per game), and they’ve conceded 57 goals themselves. Away from home, Lecce have a record of 3 wins (two of which came in 2025), 3 draws, and 11 defeats. In their last away game on April 27, they surprisingly held Atalanta to a 1-1 draw, even taking the lead through a Karlsson penalty.

Hellas Verona vs Lecce Prediction and Tactical Overview

Hellas Verona are in the midst of a dry spell in front of goal, having failed to score in their last four outings. Injuries haven’t helped: top scorer Tengstedt (6 goals) has been sidelined but is expected to return against Lecce. The team also lacks goals from midfield, with talented playmaker Suslov still without a single goal or assist this season.

Lecce, meanwhile, have struggled offensively all season and rely heavily on Nikola Krstovic, who has scored nearly half of their total goals. His availability remains in doubt, and other attackers—such as Pierotti, Morente, Karlsson, and Rebic—have failed to step up.

Looking at recent head-to-head matchups, four of the last five meetings have ended with under 3 total goals, including Lecce’s 1-0 win in the reverse fixture last October, decided by Dorgu, who transferred to Manchester United in January. Given what’s at stake, this could be another tight, low-scoring affair.

For all these reasons, the Hellas Verona vs Lecce prediction from the BetMines algorithm is a match with Under 2.5 total goals.

• Hellas Verona vs Lecce prediction by BetMines Algorithm predicts a match with Under 2.5 goals at 57%.
  
  
• Hellas Verona vs Lecce prediction by BetMines Algorithm predicts a match with Over 2.5 goals at 43%.

Hellas Verona vs Lecce Predicted Lineups

HELLAS VERONA (3-4-1-2): Montipò; Ghilardi, Coppola, Valentini; Tchatchoua, Serdar, Duda, Bradaric; Suslov; Tengstedt, Sarr. Manager: Zanetti

LECCE (4-2-3-1): Falcone; Guilbert, Gaspar, Baschirotto, Gallo; Pierret, Coulibaly; Pierotti, Helgason, Morente; Krstovic. Manager: Giampaolo