Venezia are expected to line up in their usual 4-2-3-1, a shape that gives them solidity in the middle and width out wide. The double pivot will screen the back four, allowing the attacking midfielder to drift into the half-spaces and link with the lone striker. They will look to control the tempo, knock it around, and stretch Lecce's block. The full-backs will push high, and the wide players will cut inside to create overloads. This is a side that wants to play through the lines, not over them.

Lecce, under Di Francesco, are likely to set up in a 4-3-3, but do not expect a swashbuckling display. The three midfielders will sit narrow, almost a flat bank of five when out of possession, with the wide forwards tucking in to make it a 4-5-1. They will concede territory and look to hit on the counter, with pace on the wings and a striker who can hold the ball up. The key battle will be in the middle of the park: Venezia's double pivot against Lecce's three. If the hosts can play through that press, they will create chances. If Lecce can disrupt and break quickly, they will cause problems.

Set pieces could be decisive. Venezia have height in the box, and Lecce's zonal marking has been suspect in recent seasons. A corner or a free-kick swung in could be the difference in a game that might otherwise be tight and cagey.