Sitting either side of the dotted line denoting Serie A's drop zone, Spezia and Hellas Verona meet at Stadio Alberto Picco on Sunday.

While Verona's recent revival came to a halt with a 3-0 home defeat earlier this week, their 17th-placed hosts - who occupy the last position of safety - fought back to rescue a point last time out.

Match preview

Only three points clear of the relegation zone after last week's 2-2 draw with Udinese, even a change of coach has not managed to help Spezia end their growing winless run.

Though Leonardo Semplici took charge of his first game in Udine, his new club had to rely on top scorer M'Bala Nzola to dig them out of a hole, and the striker's brace - completed in the 72nd minute - was ultimately only good enough for a point.

Not only have the Ligurians now conceded at least twice in six successive Serie A matches, they last tasted victory eight games ago - losing five and drawing two in all competitions since January's win at Torino.

In addition to leaking goals at an alarming rate, Spezia have also failed to score in each of their last four league matches played at Stadio Picco - as many times as in their previous 36 home fixtures.

While Semplici is a tried and trusted survival specialist, having kept unfancied sides up in the past, he certainly has his work cut out, then, if he is to arrest the Aquilotti's slide: should they lose in Sunday's early kickoff, they could even drop into the bottom three.

Verona's incentive this weekend is plainly clear, as Serie A's 18th-placed team can join Spezia on 20 points with a victory.

They had restricted Sunday's hosts to just one point in the teams' first four top-flight meetings before November's reverse fixture at Stadio Bentegodi, in which another Nzola double earned the side from La Spezia a rare away win.

Since that time, when they appeared certainties for demotion at the end of the season, Hellas have improved markedly, and with the help of new manager Marco Zaffaroni were one of only four Serie A sides still unbeaten at home in 2023 heading into this week.

However, they found themselves picked off by Fiorentina on Monday, and a cheeky Cristiano Biraghi strike as the game approached stoppage time consigned the Scaligeri to a 3-0 defeat.

While that was an increasingly rare setback at the Bentegodi, Verona have a simply horrible record on the road, featuring no wins and only six goals scored away from home in Serie A this season. Indeed, they have conceded in each of their last 34 away matches, which represents the club's longest streak in their top-flight history.

Having also scored their most recent goal over four hours of football ago, it seems that - despite his bright start - Zaffaroni's job is not yet done.

Team News

Ahead of his first home match as Spezia coach, Leonardo Semplici will again be without injured quartet Simone Bastoni, Jeroen Zoet, Szymon Zurkowski and Emil Holm.

Salvatore Esposito returns from suspension, though, and is in contention to start in central midfield.

After his heroics last week, M'Bala Nzola has now scored 52% of Spezia's goals in Serie A this season (11 out of 21), which is the highest proportion for any team across Europe's top five leagues. The Angola international leads the line up front, with support from captain Emmanuel Gyasi and Daniele Verde.

By contrast, Verona's first-choice forwards Milan Djuric (muscular) and Thomas Henry (ACL) are unavailable, along with veteran midfielder Miguel Veloso. Simone Perilli makes his Serie A debut, as goalkeeper Lorenzo Montipo is a late withdrawal due to illness.

Hoping to start behind either Kevin Lasagna or Adolfo Gaich, Simone Verdi has averaged a goal every 85 minutes in his previous encounters with Spezia: three in four games (during 256 minutes on the pitch).

Even if his only strike this season came in the reverse fixture, it is more likely he will start on the bench, with Cyril Ngonge and Darko Lazovic preferred in roles linking the visitors' midfield and attack.

Spezia possible starting lineup:
Dragowski; Amian, Ampadu, Nikolaou, Reca; Bourabia, Esposito; Gyasi, Agudelo, Verde; Nzola

Hellas Verona possible starting lineup:
Perilli; Magnani, Hien, Coppola; Faraoni, Tameze, Duda, Doig; Lazovic, Ngonge; Gaich

We say: Spezia 1-1 Hellas Verona

Spezia (six) and Verona (five) are among the three lowest-scoring teams in the second half of Serie A matches this term. The Aquilotti are also the only side yet to score via a substitute; Hellas have netted only once through their subs - and not since August.

A tight draw could be on the cards, then, with either side unable to change the game and take three precious points.


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