Lecce vs AS Roma Predicted Lineups: Team News for Serie A Clash

Lecce welcome AS Roma to Stadio Via del Mare in the second round of the 2026 Serie A season, with both sides looking to build on perfect starts. Lecce sit 5th with 3 points after an impressive 2-0 away win, while Roma are 2nd, also on 3 points, but with a stronger goal difference after a 4-0 home victory. With early-season momentum at stake, this clash already feels significant for the league picture and for both clubs’ ambitions.

Standings underline the contrast in expectations: Lecce are currently tracking towards a Europa League-level campaign, while Roma’s objective is clearly the Champions League places and beyond. Recent head-to-head history is heavily in Roma’s favour, but Lecce’s strong opening performance and home advantage could make this a more competitive contest than in previous years. With no official team sheets yet, this preview focuses on analytically built predicted lineups, expected starting lineup structures and key team news ahead of kick-off.

Both teams come into the match with a 100% record and clean sheets so far, and the predicted lineups suggest an intriguing tactical battle. Roma’s attacking firepower, led by early top scorer Donyell Malen and chief creator Paulo Dybala, will be tested by a Lecce side that has shown defensive solidity and efficiency in front of goal. The balance of injuries and suspensions slightly favours Lecce, but Roma’s depth and quality remain clear in the expected selections.

Lecce Team News & Expected Lineups Today

Lecce arrive in good shape after opening their Serie A campaign with a 2-0 away win, reflected in their “W” form line and a perfect defensive record so far. The main concern for the hosts is in wide attacking areas: L. Banda is listed as a missing fixture due to being inactive, while A. Gallo is questionable with an injury. Banda’s confirmed absence removes one of Lecce’s more dynamic attacking options from the expected selection pool, while Gallo’s status makes him a doubt for the starting lineup.

Given the strong defensive base and clean sheet in their first outing, Lecce are likely to stick to a compact, hard-working shape with a balanced approach between defence and midfield. Their league lineup data points to an attacking-minded structure previously using three forwards, so a similar aggressive but disciplined setup is expected again. With limited attacking depth due to Banda’s absence, the manager may lean heavily on central runners and full-backs to provide width, while maintaining a solid block to limit Roma’s creative threats.

Lecce Predicted Lineups & Starting Lineup

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

This predicted starting lineup leans on Lecce’s early standout performers and core structure. In goal, W. Falcone is the experienced option to anchor the back line. Defensively, Kialonda Gaspar, C. Ndaba, J. Siebert and Danilo Veiga provide a mix of physicality and mobility, with Tiago Gabriel expected to feature strongly from the bench after his impactful start to the season as a defender who already has 1 goal and 1 shot on target from limited minutes.

In midfield, L. Coulibaly is central to Lecce’s approach. He has already registered 1 assist, combining ball-winning (tackles and interceptions) with forward thrust, and is likely to be the key link between defence and attack. Olaf Gorter also comes into this game with a goal to his name and a solid rating, indicating his importance as a box-to-box presence. O. Gandelman and M. Kaba add further balance and work rate, allowing Lecce to crowd central areas and disrupt Roma’s build-up. Up front, K. N’Dri and N. Štulić are logical choices from the attacker pool to provide depth in the final third, with support expected from the midfield runners rather than relying solely on traditional wide play given Banda’s absence.

AS Roma Team News & Expected Lineups Today

AS Roma travel to Lecce in excellent early-season shape. They sit 2nd in Serie A with 3 points, a goal difference of +4 and a “W” form line after a dominant 4-0 home win. Their attack has already produced 4 goals, averaging 4.0 per match, while the defence has yet to concede. However, there are some notable absences: M. Bah is ruled out with a knee injury, and captain L. Pellegrini is also missing due to a thigh injury. Both are officially listed as missing fixtures and therefore excluded from any predicted starting lineup.

Even with these setbacks, Roma’s squad depth in midfield and attack remains strong. The lineups today are expected to reflect their previous attacking-minded shape, which was recorded as using three central defenders and a fluid front line. The presence of early top scorer D. Malen and top assist provider P. Dybala gives Roma a clear cutting edge in the final third, while their defensive unit has shown solidity and discipline. Expect Roma to control possession phases, press intelligently and look to exploit Lecce’s full-backs with their creative attackers.

AS Roma Predicted Lineups & Starting Lineup

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

Roma’s predicted starting lineup is built around their proven spine and early-season stars. In goal, M. Svilar is a natural candidate to continue after the clean sheet in their opening match. At the back, Hermoso, G. Mancini, E. Ndicka and N. Molina offer a blend of ball-playing ability and defensive aggression; Hermoso, in particular, stands out from the disciplinary stats with both yellow and red card listings, underlining his combative style but also the need for discipline in this away fixture.

In midfield, B. Cristante provides the anchor and distribution from deep, with N. El Aynaoui adding energy and vertical running. N. Pisilli, who has already scored 1 goal and delivered strong passing and creative numbers from limited minutes, is a strong candidate to be rewarded with a starting berth. Further forward, Roma’s main weapons are clear: P. Dybala, the league’s leading assist provider with 3 assists and 4 key passes already, will drift between the lines, while D. Malen, top scorer with 3 goals and a perfect 3 shots on target from 4 attempts, will spearhead the attack. M. Soulé is a logical inclusion to complete the front line from the available attacker pool, offering additional creativity and goal threat.

Injuries and Suspended Players Impact

Absences play a notable but not overwhelming role in shaping this contest. Lecce are without one key attacker and have a doubt at full-back, which could limit their width and pace on the break. Roma, meanwhile, are missing two midfielders, including an important creative and leadership figure in L. Pellegrini, but their remaining options in central areas and attack are still strong enough to sustain a high level of performance.

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

Tactically, this matchup pits Lecce’s compact, hard-working structure against Roma’s more expansive, creative approach. Lecce’s predicted back four and midfield quartet are designed to protect central areas and deny space between the lines, where Dybala and Malen are most dangerous. Coulibaly and Gorter will be crucial in screening the defence and tracking Roma’s midfield runners, while the full-backs Kialonda Gaspar and Danilo Veiga must choose their moments carefully to advance without leaving space in behind for Roma’s attackers to exploit.

Roma, by contrast, will look to assert control through their superior attacking indices and overall comparison edge. Their comparison model leads significantly in attack, and the head-to-head index is overwhelmingly in their favour. With Dybala orchestrating and Malen providing direct penetration, Roma’s predicted lineup is built to overload Lecce’s defensive block, especially in the half-spaces and wide channels. The battle between Lecce’s disciplined midfield (anchored by Coulibaly) and Roma’s creative trio of Dybala, Malen and Soulé is likely to decide the tempo and territory of the game. If Lecce can maintain their clean-sheet form and hit effectively in transition through N’Dri and Štulić, they can trouble Roma; but if Roma’s pressing and ball circulation function as they did in their 4-0 opener, the visitors should generate enough chances to justify their status as favourites.

Match Prediction and Verdict

Stats suggest a balanced probability picture in terms of raw percentages, with Roma and the draw both rated at 45% and Lecce at 10%. However, the broader comparison indices heavily favour Roma overall, especially in attack and head-to-head metrics. Both teams are in winning form with clean sheets, but Roma’s offensive output of 4 goals from their first match, combined with elite contributions from Malen (3 goals) and Dybala (3 assists), gives them a clear qualitative edge.

Pre-match odds reinforce Roma’s status as strong favourites. Away prices around 1.47–1.59 imply roughly a 63–68% chance of an away win, while home odds in the 5.90–7.10 range translate to around 14–17%. Draw odds between 3.61 and 4.14 suggest an implied probability of roughly 24–28%. Aligning these with the predicted winner and the advice pointing towards Roma in a higher-scoring game, the expectation is that Roma’s quality in the final third will eventually tell, even if Lecce remain competitive for long spells.

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 Serie A rights holder / streaming platform
• UK: Major sports pay-TV channel or Serie A streaming partner
• USA / North America: Regional soccer network or dedicated Serie A streaming service
• South America: Continental sports broadcaster with Italian football rights
• MENA: Pan-regional sports network covering European leagues