Preview: Brighton & Hove Albion vs Roma - prediction, team news, lineups

Brighton & Hove Albion will welcome Roma to the Amex Stadium on Saturday, as their pre-season schedule continues with a home friendly.

Both getting ready for new domestic and continental campaigns, the Premier League club are preparing to enter the Conference League while their visitors will soon return to Europe's top competition.

Match preview

After posting consecutive eighth-placed finishes in the Premier League, Brighton have embarked on a summer of change, with stalwart James Milner finally retiring and star striker Danny Welbeck taking the well-worn path towards Chelsea.

So, head coach Fabian Hurzeler must try to replace the club's leading top-flight goalscorer, who helped them secure European football again last season.

A run of one win from 13 matches in mid-winter nearly derailed Albion's league campaign, but a relatively strong finish eased any pressure on their young manager.

Now gearing up for the 2026-27 season, Brighton fought back from two goals down to beat Strasbourg 4-3 at the end of their recent training camp in Austria.

The Seagulls then returned to home turf for two friendlies against Italian opposition - first Roma, then Bologna.

Ultimately, they are aiming to get in shape for a Conference League playoff against either CFR Cluj or Tromso, before hosting Aston Villa on the Premier League's opening matchday.

Meanwhile, Roma are building towards a league opener against Fiorentina on August 24, having stormed towards the finish line last term.

The Giallorossi ended their Serie A campaign with five consecutive wins - scoring 13 goals and conceding just twice in the process - and a last-day victory over Hellas Verona booked their return to the Champions League.

Gian Piero Gasperini's first season ended with Roma sitting third in the final standings, bringing them back to Europe's top table after an eight-year absence.

While former Atalanta maestro Gasperini hopes to create some more magic in Rome, the club's summer recruitment plan has progressed rather slowly.

On the pitch, his team let a three-goal lead slip to draw 3-3 with Cannes before heading to Wales for friendly games against Cardiff City and Newport County, which they lost and won 4-1 respectively.

After new signings Santiago Castro and Konstantinos Koulierakis both found the target in Newport, Roma will head back to Brighton, where they lost a Europa League fixture in March 2024, with Welbeck netting the only goal.

Brighton & Hove Albion pre-season form:

Roma pre-season form:

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Team News

In addition to Evan Ferguson - who spent an unsuccessful loan spell at Roma last term - Brighton are still missing Stefanos Tzimas, Kaoru Mitoma and new boy Zadok Yohanna due to injury.

Welbeck has left after scoring 46 goals in 176 league games for the club, while Milner hung up his boots and long-serving defender Adam Webster was released.

Teenage defender Luka ⁠Vuskovic essentially traded places with Tottenham-bound Jan Paul van Hecke, and the Croatian centre-back could play this weekend; without Welbeck, Charalampos Kostoulas should start up front.

Meanwhile, Roma's attack is usually led by Donyell Malen - who made a huge impact after arriving in the second half of last season - and evergreen veteran Paulo Dybala.

Recently arrived from Bologna, Argentine striker Castro is also in contention, but his compatriot and new signing Nahuel Molina is not yet available.

French World Cup star Manu Kone is still on holiday, while wing-back Wesley (foot) and midfielder Nicolo Pisilli (calf) are both injury doubts.

Brighton & Hove Albion possible starting lineup:

Steele; Wieffer, Dunk, Vuskovic, Boscagli; Gross, Ayari; Minteh, Hinshelwood, Osman; Kostoulas

Roma possible starting lineup:

Svilar; Mancini, Ndicka, Hermoso; Mannini, El Aynaoui, Cristante, Rensch; Dybala, Soule; Malen