Lecce, their first real test: today's test against Spezia. Sticchi Damiani: A calm team with clear ideas.

Lecce takes to the field today for the second friendly of their preseason training camp in Bressanone. Eusebio Di Francesco's team will face Spezia at the Raiffesen Arena, with kick-off scheduled for 6:00 PM. The match will be broadcast live on Sportitalia. This will be an important first test for the Giallorossi, who played their first match of the season last Wednesday against Natz, winning 11-0.

The Spezia match will undoubtedly provide more significant information on Lecce's current form, as they are working intensely at their training camp in Trentino-Alto Adige, far from the intense heat that has gripped Salento in recent days. There's anticipation to see what Di Francesco's options will be, as he will inevitably rotate all his players to work on match rhythm without over-exerting the muscles, which have been strained by the intense athletic work the team has been putting in in recent weeks. Against Spezia, especially given the calisthenics of their opponent, who were in last season's Serie B playoff final, we could see a Lecce squad that is broadly similar to what could be described as a current standard. This lineup clearly shouldn't be considered definitive, as there's still over a month to go until the transfer window closes, and it's reasonable to expect some changes in and outgoing players.

There's no major upheaval, that's clear; it's hard to imagine a shakeup at Lecce. The intention is to preserve a large portion of the squad from last season. However, there could be some departures, even significant ones in the face of equally significant offers, which will inevitably lead to new additions in some departments.

As for the Giallorossi's match this afternoon, Falcone is expected to start in goal, with the starting backline consisting of Veiga, Baschirotto, Gaspar, and Gallo. However, Kouassi, one of the first signings of the summer transfer market, cannot be ruled out on the right. In the middle, the starting trio that already appeared against Natz is expected to consist of Ramadani, Berisha, and Coulibaly. Up front, N'Dri will be on the right (Pierotti has undergone personalized training in recent days) with either Morente or Banda on the left. In the center of the three-man trident will be Camarda, one of the most anticipated players at the Bressanone training camp. Krstovic is not at his best, having suffered a slight bruise to his right foot in Friday's training session. Camarda was a key figure in the first friendly against Natz, scoring a hat-trick, and will be keen to continue his form against a stronger opponent like Spezia.

This will be an important test to assess the health of Di Francesco's team, knowing that it's still a friendly match, and the outcome will only be indicative, but only to a certain extent. This is all in light of the heavy workload the team is undergoing during these days of training camp. This is crucial athletic training, useful for getting their legs in shape for next season.

Meanwhile, president Saverio Sticchi Damiani also arrived at the Bressanone training camp on Friday to closely monitor the work of his Lecce team. Sticchi Damiani spoke to Telerama yesterday, taking stock of the situation at the dawn of the new season: "A tremendous amount of work is being done, and the mood is good. It's a group with many motivated players, many know that this is an important season for their careers, and some are also eager to redeem themselves. The coach is a hard worker and has very clear playing ideas. We're trying to give him a team that can follow his playing principles, and I feel like there's a lot of tactical clarity in this training camp." Sticchi Damiani then focused on the transfer market: "It's a market that's struggling to get off the ground; Italian football is currently struggling to make major transfers. Lecce is moving forward, as always, with caution and prudence; we've already completed four permanent signings. As for departures, the very fact that the transfer market is somewhat stagnant means that some players who had shown their worth with us and who were expecting significant interest have not yet received concrete offers. But Lecce certainly wouldn't be the one to stand in the way of their legitimate ambitions." He also commented on Camarda: "He's only 17, but he's proving to be more mature than his age. Lecce represents a great opportunity for him, we want to enjoy his growth." Finally, Sticchi Damiani emphasized the affection of the Giallorossi fans: "I see that many people choose to follow Lecce even during their training camp. It's an important sign of support, the season ticket campaign is also responding well, providing us with interesting data, with an even faster trend than last year."