Serie A resumes this weekend following the international break, as Roma go on the road to lock horns with Lecce on Monday evening at the Stadio Via del Mare.
It’s a high-stakes encounter as the two teams enter on opposite ends of the table: the Giallorossi fighting for a Champions League place while the southerners aim for valuable result in their bid to avoid relegation.
The match is set to kick-off at 18.00 CET at Stadio Via del Mare in Puglia.
Roma
Roma aim to continue their resurgence under the stewardship of manager Daniele De Rossi, who boasts a record of 7W, 1D, and 1L since he took over for Jose Mourinho in mid-January.
Currently three points behind fourth position, the Giallorossi enter the most crucial yet grueling stretch of their season. A difficult run of games awaits them in both Serie A and Europa League as they face Lazio, Milan twice in Europe, Juventus, Napoli, Bologna, and Atalanta.
As for Monday, De Rossi is faced with critical decisions regarding his team’s lineup and formation. Star-man Paulo Dybala isn’t expected to start while Sardar Azmoun is out for the next month after he injured his hamstring during international duty. Captain Lorenzo Pellegrini is also unavailable due to suspension—he’ll be replaced by either Houssem Aouar or Edoardo Bove.
Historically, Roma have dominated the series against Lecce. They’ve only lost twice to the Salentini and boast an overall record of 24W, 9D, and 2L against the hosts.
Lecce
On the other hand, Lecce arrives at the Stadio Via del Mare fueled by determination and a hunger to defy the odds. Despite facing a relegation battle on top of the abrupt departure of Roberto D’Aversa, they displayed resilience and fighting spirit under new manager Luca Gotti.
In his debut prior to the break, Gotti guided Lecce to their first win in nearly a month when they earned a 1-0 victory over Salernitana. It marked just their third clean sheet of the season and their first since September—which put them three points above the safety zone. The team was guided by goalkeeper Wladimiro Falcone, who they’ll continue to rely upon against De Rossi’s men.
With every match crucial in their quest for survival, Lecce will leave no stone unturned in their quest to upset the odds. Though, they’ll be tasked with overcoming their horrific success rate versus Roma, who they’ve only defeated once at home. In total, their home record is 1W, 7D, and 9L versus the capital club.
Predicted Lineups
LECCE (4-2-3-1): Falcone; Gendrey, Pongracic, Baschirotto, Gallo; Ramadani, Blin; Almqvist, Oudin, Piccoli; Krstovic
Unavailable: Lorenzo Venuti, Lameck Banda, Kastriot Dermaku, Mohamed Kaba
ROMA (4-3-2-1): Svilar; Karsdorp, Mancini, Llorente, Angelino; Cristante, Paredes, Aouar; Baldanzi, El Shaarawy; Lukaku
Unavailable: Sardar Azmoun, Tammy Abraham, Chris Smalling, Leonardo Spinazzola, Renato Sanches, Rasmus Kristensen
