AS Roma vs Lecce: Serie A Clash Preview
AS Roma head south to Salento on Sunday, carrying the weight – and the swagger – of Serie A leaders into their clash with Lecce at the Stadio Ettore Giardiniero.
They travel in the kind of form that hardens belief in a dressing room. A ruthless 4-0 dismantling of Fiorentina on Matchday 1 has put the Giallorossi on top of the table, but that result was no one-off. Under Gian Piero Gasperini, Roma have pieced together six consecutive league wins stretching back to last season, shutting out opponents in five of those games. The numbers are cold; the momentum is anything but.
History leans their way as well. Roma have taken the last four meetings with Lecce and arrive as clear favourites to extend that run. Lecce know what’s coming. The question is whether they can stop it.
Gasperini’s balancing act
Gasperini’s task this week is not just to keep the run going, but to blend old certainties with new faces and manage a squad already feeling the strain.
At the heart of that puzzle is Leonardo Balerdi. The Argentine defender has been named in the squad for the first time and is widely expected to go straight into the starting XI. A debut in Salento, with Roma top of the league and the bar already set high, is a sharp way to introduce yourself.
Marten De Roon has wasted no time settling in after his surprise deadline-day switch from Atalanta. The Dutch midfielder, long accustomed to Gasperini’s demands, has slipped into the group with minimal fuss, adding experience and bite to the centre of the pitch.
Not everything is straightforward. Roma make the trip without two important pieces in Lorenzo Pellegrini and Devyne Rensch. Both are sidelined by thigh and flexor problems and will stay out until they rejoin full training next week. Their absence strips some creativity and flexibility from Gasperini’s options, especially between the lines and on the right side of defence.
One boost comes at wing-back. Nahuel Molina has shaken off a knock and is back to full fitness. His return ramps up the competition on the flank and increases the pressure on young Emanuele Lulli, who suddenly finds his place under real scrutiny. For a youngster, this is the sharp end of top-level football: keep your shirt, or watch a proven international take it back.
Depth tested, but firepower intact
Roma’s depth has taken a hit in recent days. Robinio Vaz has departed for Hull City and Neil El Aynaoui has completed a move to RB Leipzig, trimming Gasperini’s options across the squad. The exits don’t gut the core of the team, but they do narrow the margins if injuries and suspensions pile up.
Even so, the likely XI in Lecce still bristles with quality and attacking threat.
The predicted lineup reads: Svilar; Mancini, Ndicka, Hermoso; Lulli, Kone, Cristante, Wesley; Mora, Dybala; Malen.
It’s a side built to control and to punish. Gianluca Mancini, Evan Ndicka and Mario Hermoso give Roma a strong, physical, ball-playing back three in front of Mile Svilar. In midfield, Bryan Cristante anchors, with Kone and Wesley offering legs and aggression around him. Out wide, Lulli’s energy will be under the microscope, especially with Molina breathing down his neck.
Up front, the combination of Paulo Dybala’s craft and Donyell Malen’s pace and movement should trouble any defence in the division. Mora’s presence behind them adds another line of pressure, another body between the lines for Lecce to track. When Roma click, that front unit can suffocate opponents.
Kick-off and where to watch
The match kicks off at 5:30pm BST on Monday, 31st August.
In the UK, Lecce vs AS Roma will be shown live on DAZN.
Roma arrive in Salento with form, history and expectation on their side. Now comes the real test: can Gasperini’s reshaped squad turn a strong start into a statement run at the top of Serie A?
