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

Lecce welcome AS Roma to Stadio Via del Mare in Serie A Regular Season – 2, with both sides looking to build on perfect starts to the 2026 campaign. Lecce sit 5th with 3 points after an impressive 2-0 away win, while Roma are already up in 2nd, also on 3 points, thanks to a dominant 4-0 home victory. With both teams yet to concede this season, this clash should offer a fascinating contrast in styles and quality.

Roma come into this fixture as clear favourites on paper, but Lecce’s early form and home advantage make this more than a formality. Head-to-head history is heavily tilted towards Roma, yet Lecce’s strong opening result and solid defensive record so far suggest they can at least make life difficult. This preview focuses on analytically built predicted lineups and the expected starting lineup options for both sides, based on available squad lists, early-season stats, and confirmed absences.

With official team sheets not yet released, bettors and fans will be looking closely at predicted lineups to gauge where the key battles will be. Roma’s attacking firepower, led by early top scorer Donyell Malen and chief creator Paulo Dybala, will test a Lecce side that has started with a clean sheet and efficient finishing. Both clubs show “W” in their league form line, but the underlying numbers and talent levels point to very different ceilings.

Lecce Team News & Expected Lineups Today

Lecce arrive in good spirits after opening their Serie A season with a 2-0 away victory, leaving them 5th with 3 points, 2 goals scored and none conceded. Their league form string is a simple but powerful “W”. However, there are a couple of notable concerns in the squad. Lameck Banda is listed as a missing fixture due to inactivity, ruling him out of contention for the starting lineup. Full-back Arturo Gallo is flagged as questionable with an injury, which complicates the defensive options on the left.

Given the early-season success and the fact that Lecce’s typical league lineup data indicates an attacking-minded shape (they used a 4-3-3 in their only league game so far), the expectation is that the coach will stay relatively positive at home but maintain a compact defensive block. The expected selection will be built around a stable goalkeeper choice, a back line that can cope with Roma’s movement, and a midfield anchored by Lassana Coulibaly, who already appears among the league’s top assist providers. The predicted lineups today for Lecce must also lean on young contributors like Olaf Gorter and Tiago Gabriel, both of whom have already scored this season from deeper roles.

Lecce Predicted Lineups & Starting Lineup

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

This predicted starting lineup for Lecce leans on experience in goal and defence, with Wladimiro Falcone expected to continue as the first-choice goalkeeper. At the back, Kialonda Gaspar and C. Ndaba provide physical presence and aerial ability in central areas, while J. Siebert offers additional height and defensive security. Tiago Gabriel is a key name here: listed as a defender but already on the top scorers and top assists lists with 1 goal and strong underlying numbers (100% passing accuracy and a goal from his only shot), he is expected to feature prominently, likely as an aggressive full-back or wide defender.

In midfield, Lassana Coulibaly is central to Lecce’s plan. He has already delivered 1 assist, 2 key passes and strong defensive numbers (2 tackles and 2 interceptions) in his first league appearance, making him both a ball-winner and a progressive passer. Olaf Gorter adds goal threat from midfield, having scored once already with solid duels involvement and a decent passing rate. Omer Gandelman and M. Kaba round out a hard-working midfield unit that should try to compress space and disrupt Roma’s build-up.

Up front, the expected starting lineup turns to K. N’Dri and N. Štulić as the primary attacking outlets, with their pace and movement vital for counter-attacks. With Banda unavailable, Lecce will likely rely more on combination play through midfield and overlapping runs from Tiago Gabriel rather than pure wing play. The overall predicted lineups configuration suggests a side that will defend in numbers but look to break quickly, leveraging Coulibaly’s vertical passing and Gorter’s late runs into the box.

AS Roma Team News & Expected Lineups Today

Roma travel to Lecce in excellent form after a statement 4-0 home win in their Serie A opener, which places them 2nd in the table with 3 points, a +4 goal difference, and 4 goals scored with none conceded. Their league form line is also “W”, and their early attacking metrics are strong: 4 goals at an average of 4.0 per match. However, there are a couple of important absences that shape the predicted lineups today.

Midfielder M. Bah is ruled out with a knee injury and Lorenzo Pellegrini is also missing due to a thigh injury, removing two central options from the engine room. Even so, Roma’s depth in midfield and attack remains impressive. The team’s lineup data from the first league game shows they used a 3-4-2-1 structure, indicating a preference for three central defenders, wing-backs, and a fluid front three. With Paulo Dybala leading the league in assists (3 already) and Donyell Malen sitting top of the scoring charts with 3 goals, the expected XI will be built to maximise their influence between the lines and in the penalty area.

AS Roma Predicted Lineups & Starting Lineup

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

Roma’s predicted starting lineup is anchored by Mile Svilar in goal, who is expected to keep his place after a clean sheet in the opener. In defence, Hermoso stands out both as a ball-playing defender and as a disciplinary reference, having already appeared in the league’s top yellow and red card lists after picking up a booking in his first outing. Alongside him, Gianluca Mancini and Evan Ndicka provide a blend of aggression and athleticism, ideal for dealing with Lecce’s counters and aerial balls.

Across midfield and the wing-back zones, Nahuel Molina and Devyne Rensch are natural candidates to provide width and progression on the flanks, while Bryan Cristante offers experience and positional discipline in central areas. N. El Aynaoui adds energy and box-to-box running, and Niccolò Pisilli is a particularly interesting inclusion: he has already scored 1 goal from midfield and appears in both the top scorers and top assists tables thanks to his strong all-round contribution in limited minutes. His presence in the expected starting lineup would give Roma an extra runner from deep.

Up front, the key names in any discussion of Roma’s predicted lineups are Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen. Dybala has started the season as the league’s top assist provider with 3 assists, 4 key passes and 41 completed passes at 80% accuracy. Operating between the lines, he will look to exploit any gaps between Lecce’s midfield and defence. Malen, meanwhile, is the early star of the campaign with 3 goals from 4 shots (3 on target), a perfect rating in his opening appearance, and strong dribbling numbers. Together, they form a high-ceiling partnership that can decide the game with quick combinations and individual brilliance.

Injuries and Suspended Players Impact

Absences are relatively limited but still influential for both sides. Lecce lose a direct and pacey threat in Lameck Banda, which reduces their ability to stretch Roma’s back line in behind. The questionable status of A. Gallo adds uncertainty at full-back, forcing the coach to lean on other defenders such as Tiago Gabriel or Danilo Veiga to cover wide areas. Roma, meanwhile, are without M. Bah and Lorenzo Pellegrini, two midfielders who could have offered rotation and creativity. Pellegrini’s absence in particular removes a proven source of goals and final-third quality, increasing the creative burden on Dybala and the emerging Pisilli.

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

From a tactical perspective, this game pits Lecce’s compact, hard-working structure against Roma’s more expansive, attack-heavy setup. Lecce’s early-season numbers show a balanced scoring profile, with goals arriving between minutes 46–60 and 76–90, suggesting a side that grows into games and can exploit transitional moments. Their defensive record is perfect so far, with no goals conceded and a clean sheet away from home. With players like Coulibaly and Gorter in midfield and Tiago Gabriel in defence already contributing goals and assists, Lecce can threaten Roma on set pieces and quick counters, especially if they can isolate Malen and Dybala from service.

Roma, by contrast, have a significantly higher attacking index in comparison models, reflecting their 4 goals scored at an average of 4.0 per match. The comparison metrics rate Roma’s attacking index at roughly double Lecce’s, and the head-to-head index is overwhelmingly in Roma’s favour, with Roma dominating recent meetings. The predicted lineups suggest Roma will look to control possession, push wing-backs Molina and Rensch high, and create overloads around Dybala between the lines. Lecce’s back line, particularly the central trio of Gaspar, Ndaba and Siebert, must track Malen’s runs and be ready to step out on Dybala without leaving space in behind. The battle between Coulibaly and Roma’s central pair of Cristante and El Aynaoui will be critical in determining whether Lecce can disrupt Roma’s rhythm or are forced into a low block for long stretches.

Match Prediction and Verdict

Win-probability models give Lecce around a 10% chance of victory, with the draw and Roma each rated at 45%. That balance reflects Roma’s superior squad depth, attacking firepower, and dominant head-to-head record, but also respects Lecce’s strong start and home advantage. The comparison indices further underline Roma’s edge, with an overall comparison index of roughly 74.8 to 25.3 in favour of the visitors, and a clear advantage in attacking metrics and historical goals.

Pre-match odds reinforce this picture. Across major bookmakers, Roma are priced between 1.47 and 1.59 to win, implying an approximate probability range of about 62.9% to 68.0%. Lecce’s home win odds sit between 5.90 and 7.10, translating to roughly 14.1% to 17.0% implied probability, while the draw ranges from 3.61 to 4.14 (about 24.2% to 27.7%). Taken together with Roma’s early-season scoring rate and Dybala–Malen form, the most likely scenario is an away win, though the predictions percent block’s equal weighting between Roma and the draw suggests some caution about a blowout.

Predicted Outcome: Lecce 0–2 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 / major streaming platform
• UK: Leading Premier Sports-style broadcaster or top-tier streaming service
• USA / North America: National soccer-focused cable network or dedicated streaming app
• South America: Regional sports network with Serie A rights or OTT football platform
• MENA: Pan-regional satellite sports network or official Serie A streaming partner