Benevento vs Spezia prediction, preview, team news and more | Serie A 2020-21
It's the battle of two promoted sides at the Stadio Ciro Vigorito as Benevento host Spezia on matchday seven of the Serie A season.
Both teams are desperately struggling for form at the moment, and Saturday's clash will result in at least one of these sides watching their winless run continue.
Benevento have lost their last three games after winning twice from the opening three, dropping from the top half of the table down to 14th, while Spezia have been served a baptism of fire on their top-flight debut.
Promoted to Serie A for the first time in history, the Aquile have won only once in six games so far, against Udinese on matchday two, and remain firmly rooted in 17th place.
Benevento vs Spezia Head-To-Head
This will be their first meeting in Serie A, though Benevento and Spezia have clashed seven times in Serie B, with the former coming out on top on five occasions.
Last season, the Sorcerers completed the 'domestic double' over their rivals from the north-west, winning 1-0 away from home and 3-1 in Benevento earlier this year.
Benevento Form Guide (all competitions): W-L-L-L-L
Spezia Form Guide (all competitions): L-D-D-W-L
Benevento vs Spezia Team News
Benevento will be without Massimo Volta, Federico Barba, Iago Falque, and Alessandro Tuia; all of whom are out injured. Pier Graziano Gori and Lorenzo Del Pinto are suspended. Gianluca Caprari, who picked up a red card in the loss to Verona on Tuesday, is also suspended.
Injured: Massimo Volta, Federico Barba, Iago Falque, and Alessandro Tuia
Suspended: Gianluca Caprari, Pier Graziano Gori, and Lorenzo Del Pinto
Unavailable: None
Injuries have wreaked havoc on Spezia's squad. They are missing as many as 10 players, while centre-back Martin Erlic is still recovering from COVID-19.
Injured: Elio Capradossi, Federico Mattiello, Giuseppe Mastinu, Jeroen Zoet, Andrej Galabinov, Juan Ramos, Gennaro Acampora, Jacopo Sala, Daniele Verde, and Paolo Bartolomei.
Suspended: None
Unavailable: Martin Erlic
Benevento vs Spezia Predicted XI
Benevento (4-3-2-1): Lorenzo Montipo; Gaetano Letizia, Kamil Glik, Luca Caldirola, Daam Foulan; Artur Ionita, Pasquale Schiattarella, Bryan Dabo; Roberto Insigne, Riccardo Improta; Gianluca Lapadula.
Spezia (4-3-3): Ivan Provedel; Salva Ferrer, Claudio Terzi, Julian Chabot, Simone Bastoni; Paolo Bartolomei, Matteo Ricci, Tommaso Pobega; Kevin Agudelo, M'Bala Nzola, Diego Farias.
Benevento vs Spezia Prediction
Both teams may be winless right now, but the hosts will enter the tie with more confidence due to their impressive attacking firepower.
They are one of the few sides who have scored in every single game this season and, even though Caprari is suspended, they have enough in the tank to shoot down Spezia.
Prediction: Benevento 3-1 Spezia