Lecce vs AS Roma Predicted Lineups and Team News – Serie A

Lecce welcome AS Roma to Stadio Via del Mare in Round 2 of the 2026 Serie A regular season, with both sides looking to build on winning starts. Lecce sit 5th with 3 points and a goal difference of +2 after an impressive 2-0 away victory, while AS Roma are 2nd with 3 points and a +4 goal difference following a dominant 4-0 home win. With both teams opening the campaign with clean sheets, this clash has the feel of an early litmus test for their ambitions.

Recent head-to-head history is heavily tilted towards AS Roma, who have consistently taken points off Lecce in league play. However, Lecce’s improved standing and Europa League qualifying ambitions this season make this more than a routine fixture. This preview focuses on analytically driven predicted lineups, expected starting lineup choices and team news, using early-season form and key player metrics rather than any official team sheets.

With both clubs coming off confident wins and sitting in the top five, the importance of this game is clear: Roma are aiming to sustain a Champions League-level pace, while Lecce want to prove they can compete with the league’s elite. The predicted lineups suggest a tactical battle between Lecce’s balanced, hard‑working core and Roma’s high‑ceiling attacking unit built around Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen.

Lecce Team News & Expected Lineups Today

Lecce arrive in good spirits after their opening‑day win, but they do have notable issues in wide areas. Lameck Banda is ruled out as a missing fixture (inactive), and full-back/wing-back Arturo Gallo is listed as questionable with an injury. That limits options on the left flank and may influence how aggressively Lecce can play in wide zones against Roma’s dangerous forwards. Overall league form is perfect so far, with one win, two goals scored and none conceded, reflected in their single‑match form string of “W”.

Given that context, the expected approach is a compact, hard‑running side that protects the middle and looks to break with pace when possible. The expected starting lineup should retain the spine that delivered the opening victory, supported by creative midfielders and mobile forwards. With some depth pieces like Tiago Gabriel and Olaf Gorter already on the scoresheet and assist chart respectively, Lecce have impact options from the bench, but the core of the predicted lineups today will lean on experience and positional balance.

Lecce Predicted Lineups & Starting Lineup

Predicted Starting XI:
GK: W. Falcone
DF: Kialonda Gaspar, C. Ndaba, J. Siebert, Danilo Veiga
MF: L. Coulibaly, O. Gandelman, Olaf Gorter, M. Kaba
FW: K. N’Dri, N. Štulić

This predicted starting lineup keeps Wladimiro Falcone in goal as the senior goalkeeper option, protected by a back line built around Kialonda Gaspar, Ciaran Ndaba and Jannik Siebert, with Danilo Veiga providing energy and width from full-back. In midfield, Lassana Coulibaly is a key reference point: he already has 1 assist in the new season, strong duel numbers and a high work rate, so he is expected to anchor the central zone and help Lecce compete physically with Roma’s midfield.

Olaf Gorter, who has already scored once from midfield, offers late runs and shooting threat from the second line, while M. Kaba and Omer Gandelman add legs and defensive coverage. Up front, K. N’Dri and N. Štulić are logical picks to lead the line, with N’Dri’s pace and Štulić’s penalty‑box presence giving Lecce some variety in attack. Tiago Gabriel, who surprisingly appears among the early top scorers with a goal from defence, is a strong candidate to feature either as a starter or high‑impact substitute, especially on set pieces, but here he is kept as a bench weapon to change the game state if Lecce need a goal.

AS Roma Team News & Expected Lineups Today

AS Roma travel south in excellent form after a 4-0 home win to open their campaign, a result that underlines both attacking power and defensive control. Their league form string is also “W”, with four goals scored and none conceded, and their attacking index in recent games has been notably stronger than Lecce’s. However, there are some important absences in midfield: M. Bah is out with a knee injury, and club captain Lorenzo Pellegrini is sidelined by a thigh injury. Those losses remove two central options who could otherwise dictate tempo and contribute in the final third.

Despite those setbacks, Roma’s attacking structure remains formidable. Paulo Dybala leads the Serie A assist chart with 3 assists already, while Donyell Malen sits atop the scoring charts with 3 goals from just one appearance. The expected lineups today should therefore continue to revolve around that attacking duo, supported by a robust defensive unit that includes Mario Hermoso, who appears in both the yellow and red card disciplinary lists, highlighting his aggressive style. Roma’s predicted starting lineup is likely to resemble their previous attacking‑minded shape, even if the exact formation can shift between phases.

AS Roma Predicted Lineups & Starting Lineup

Predicted Starting XI:
GK: M. Svilar
DF: N. Molina, G. Mancini, Hermoso, E. Ndicka
MF: B. Cristante, N. El Aynaoui, M. Koné, N. Pisilli
FW: P. Dybala, D. Malen

Mile Svilar is the logical choice in goal given his senior status among the keepers. At the back, Nahuel Molina and Evan Ndicka provide athleticism and ball progression from wide and half‑spaces, while Gianluca Mancini and Hermoso form a physically imposing central pairing. Hermoso’s presence in both yellow and red card tables signals a defender who defends on the front foot; his duels and interception numbers support the idea that he will step out aggressively to challenge Lecce’s forwards.

In midfield, Bryan Cristante offers balance and positional discipline, with N. El Aynaoui and M. Koné adding energy and ball‑carrying. Niccolò Pisilli, who has already scored once and posted strong passing and shooting efficiency in limited minutes, is a prime candidate to move into the expected starting lineup as Roma seek creativity in Pellegrini’s absence. Up front, the pairing of Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen is the clear focal point: Dybala’s 3 assists and 4 key passes underline his role as chief creator between the lines, while Malen’s 3 goals from 4 shots show a ruthless finisher who thrives on early service and quick transitions. Together, they form one of the most dangerous attacking combinations in Serie A at this early stage.

Injuries and Suspended Players Impact

The absences on both sides shape the tactical possibilities and may subtly tilt the balance of the match. Lecce lose a key wide attacker in Banda and have a question mark over Gallo, restricting their ability to stretch Roma’s back line consistently. Roma, meanwhile, are without two central midfield options in Bah and Pellegrini, which affects their depth and leadership in the middle of the pitch, but their core attacking stars remain available.

Lecce Absences:

• L. Banda — Inactive (Missing Fixture)
• A. Gallo — Injury (Questionable)

AS Roma Absences:

• M. Bah — Knee Injury (Missing Fixture)
• L. Pellegrini — Thigh Injury (Missing Fixture)

Tactical Analysis: How the Lineups Match Up

On paper, this looks like a clash between Lecce’s collective structure and Roma’s superior individual quality in attack. Lecce’s predicted lineup suggests a compact defensive block with a hard‑working midfield trio built around L. Coulibaly, O. Gandelman and Olaf Gorter. Coulibaly’s ball‑winning and dribbling numbers from the opening match indicate he will be central to breaking up Roma’s rhythm, while Gorter’s goal threat from midfield gives Lecce an extra dimension on late runs and second balls around the box. If Lecce can keep distances tight and deny Dybala space between the lines, they can force Roma into wider, more predictable patterns.

Roma, however, bring a far higher attacking ceiling. With Dybala leading the league in assists and Malen leading in goals, their front line is built to exploit any transition moments or defensive lapses. The predicted shape allows Dybala to drift into pockets, receiving between Lecce’s midfield and defence, while Malen looks to attack the channels and space behind the back line. Pisilli’s inclusion in the starting lineup adds another goal threat from midfield, and Cristante’s presence should give Roma enough stability to commit wing-backs or full-backs forward. The comparison indices back this up: Roma hold a clear advantage in attacking metrics and overall comparison, while both sides have so far defended solidly. The key matchup will be whether Lecce’s back four and screening midfield can contain Roma’s combination play around the edge of the box and prevent Dybala–Malen from deciding the game early.

Match Prediction and Verdict

Both teams enter with identical perfect records after one match, but the underlying indicators and head‑to‑head history strongly favour AS Roma. The prediction model gives Lecce only a 10% chance to win, with the draw and away win each rated at 45%. Roma also dominate the overall comparison index, with a much stronger attacking profile and a huge historical edge in recent meetings. Betting markets align with this view: away odds around 1.47–1.59 imply an approximate 63–68% chance of a Roma victory, while home odds in the 5.90–7.10 range translate to roughly 14–17% implied probability for Lecce.

Given Roma’s firepower, Dybala’s creative form and Malen’s clinical finishing, combined with Lecce’s limited wide options due to Banda’s absence and Gallo’s questionable status, the away side are justifiably strong favourites. At the same time, Lecce’s early‑season confidence and solid defensive start suggest they can avoid a heavy defeat if they maintain discipline. With total goals guidance leaning towards a higher‑scoring game and Roma strongly favoured to win, a narrow but clear away success looks the most realistic outcome.

Predicted Outcome: Lecce 1–2 AS Roma

How to Watch Lecce vs AS Roma Worldwide

Here is how you can watch the match and see the official lineups today live:

• Spain: Local pay-TV sports channel / streaming platform
• UK: Major sports broadcaster or official Serie A rights holder
• USA / North America: Premium soccer streaming service carrying Serie A
• South America: Regional sports network with Serie A rights
• MENA: Dedicated sports satellite network or official Serie A streaming partner