The 1997-98 campaign delivered ultimate heartbreak for Lecce as the Giallorossi finished a crushing 17th in Serie A, resulting in relegation to the second tier of Italian football. Leading the scoring charts for the club was the dedicated forward Francesco Palmieri, whose 10 crucial goals were a beacon of hope in a difficult season built on a desperate, but ultimately unsuccessful, fight to maintain their top-flight status. It was a turbulent year that remains a painful, defining chapter in the modern history of the Giallorossi.