Fortune turned out not to favour the brave as Lecce's valiant effort to stay in Serie A eventually failed. Starting the season with the inexperienced Eusebio Di Francesco at the helm, the early signs were not positive. The team were struggling to score whilst shipping goals at the other end. Di Francesco didn't last long. After losing nine of the opening thirteen games, he was sacked, leaving the club rooted to the foot of the table.
It was a mammoth task that was presented to the lovable Sersi Cosmi. One of the game's true characters, Cosmi began to first improve the performances of the team. His motivational skills are well renowned and the team began to respond to them with much greater effort on the field. Results were still difficult to come by but Lecce were beginning to play some great football even in defeat. Most of their summer signings had been loan moves but Cosmi's ability to get a group of players who most likely wouldn't be playing with each other for very long to unite together was astonishing. Exciting Colombians Juan Cuadrado and Luis Muriel thrived under Cosmi's expansive style. The results soon followed as Lecce illustrated a refreshing fearlessness. They lost just one time, to champions Milan, in twelve matches between February and April - a terrific run of form that in most seasons would've gotten them out of trouble. In the end though, they seemed to run out of gas, one last act of defiance saw them take a point from Juventus but home defeats to Parma and Fiorentina proved costly as they were eventually relegated on the final day. It was a shame given that Genoa stayed up at their expense showing nowhere near the same fight and team spirit throughout the season. However, the table never lies. Lecce have dropped before and have come again.
