Lecce starting XI (4-2-3-1): Falcone, Guilbert (subbed for Danilo Veiga), Gaspar, Baschirotto, Gallo, Kaba (subbed for Morente), Pierret (subbed for Berisha), Pierotti (subbed for N’Dri), Coulibaly, Karlsson (subbed for Helgason), Krstovic

Bench: Fruchtl, Samooja, Rafia, Sansone, Ramadani, Banda, Tiago Gabriel, Sala.
Allenatore: Giampaolo

Napoli starting XI (4-4-2): Meret, Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Olivera, Spinazzola, Politano (subbed for Ngonge), Anguissa, Lobotka (subbed for Gilmour), McTominay, Lukaku (subbed for Simeone), Raspadori (subbed for Billing)

Bench: Contini, Scuffet, Okafor, Rafa Marin, Hasa, Mazzocchi

Goals: Raspadori 24’

Giacomo Raspadori scored the only goal on Saturday (Sunday AEST) to keep Napoli three points ahead of second-placed Inter Milan, who beat Hellas Verona 1-0.

Napoli need only seven points from the remaining three rounds to win their second league title in three years.

“It’s an important step, I can’t lie,” Conte said. “We’re on track and we want to stay there until the end.

“Nobody will remember if we finish second or if we had a good season. History must be written, and you do it by winning, the others read it.”

There was a tense atmosphere in Lecce and plenty of banners and chants insulting the league’s governing body.

Fans were furious Lecce were forced to play against Atalanta just three days after the death of club physical therapist Graziano Fiorita.

There was a moving minute’s silence before the match, but the tension boiled over after kick-off when fans threw flares and fireworks on to the field, causing the match to be temporarily halted in the sixth minute.

Play was going to continue after about four minutes, but there was another delay to repair the bottom of the net, where a firework burned a hole.

Napoli thought they got off to the perfect start when Romelu Lukaku had the ball in the back of the net after 100 seconds, but it was ruled out for offside.

The visitors took the lead in the 24th minute after Raspadori was bundled over right on the edge of the area. He dusted himself down to curl a free kick into the bottom right corner.

Lecce reacted well and Kialonda Gaspar headed a corner on to the crossbar but, despite laying siege to the goal, they couldn’t find the equaliser and remained just a point above the relegation zone.

AAP

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