Preview: Lecce vs Roma - prediction, team news, lineups

Both winners on Serie A's opening matchday, Roma and Lecce will clash at Stadio Via del Mare on Monday.

While the capital club cruised past Fiorentina, their hosts took three points from newly promoted opponents.

Match preview

Having raced to the finish line last season, Roma made a fast start to the 2026-27 campaign last Monday, when Fiorentina paid a visit to Stadio Olimpico.

The Giallorossi had claimed a precious Champions League berth by snatching third place in Gian Piero Gasperini's first year, and his side lived up to their enhanced reputation by simply brushing the Viola aside.

Donyell Malen's incredible spell in Italy continued with a clinical hat-trick - each goal set up by strike partner Paulo Dybala - before Niccolo Pisilli added more gloss with the hosts' fourth.

Gasperini may have been relieved after a series of sub-par performances in pre-season - particularly as Roma will soon face some of Europe's elite.

The Champions League draw has pitted them against former managers Jose Mourinho and Luis Enrique - currently in charge of Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain respectively - but they must first focus on domestic matters.

Before heading south to Salento, the Rome club have won their last three games against Lecce without conceding - and their last league defeat in this match-up dates back to April 2012.

When considering the tail end of last season, Roma have posted six league wins on the spin - but Lecce reached three last week, equalling their best top-flight run.

Bouncing straight back from an early Coppa Italia exit to Palermo, the Salentini rode their luck to beat newly promoted Venezia at Stadio Penzo.

The hosts bossed possession and saw two goals chalked off, while Lecce struck twice in the second half and hung on to claim maximum points.

Now, they can aim to write new history at the Via del Mare, having never before won their first two Serie A fixtures.

Precedent, though, is not on their side: Lecce have won their opening home game just once across their last six top-flight campaigns, while their coach traditionally struggles when facing his old club.

Eusebio Di Francesco - who finally succeeded last season, after suffering consecutive relegations elsewhere - has played Roma 16 times in Serie A, picking up just three points and losing all of the last 10.

Lecce Serie A form:

Lecce form (all competitions):

Roma Serie A form:

Team News

Malen and Dybala face fresh competition this season, in the shape of summer signing Santiago Castro, yet their partnership should continue on Monday.

Fellow new boys Rodrigo Mora and Konstantinos Koulierakis both featured against Fiorentina, but Nahuel Molina stayed on the bench, with rookie wing-back Emanuele Lulli starting instead.

The latter pair will vie for selection again, as Jayden Oosterwolde's move from Fenerbahce collapsed following a medical and Devyne Rensch has been hampered by a flexor problem.

French forward Robinio Vaz - who scored Roma's winner against Lecce in March - has missed training as he nears a switch to Hull City.

Meanwhile, the hosts have concerns about left-back Antonino Gallo, who was taken off midway through the win over Venezia having taken a heavy blow to the cheekbone.

He was replaced by Corrie Ndaba, and the Republic of Ireland defender would deputise again if required; midfielder Medon Berisha is also a doubt.

New forward Willem Geubbels will again look to get off the mark, as Di Francesco seeks an end to his team's striker woes: they averaged 0.7 goals per league game last season.

Lecce possible starting lineup:

Falcone; Veiga, Gaspar, Gabriel, Ndaba; Ngom, Coulibaly, Gorter; Pierotti, Geubbels, N'Dri

Roma possible starting lineup:

Svilar; Mancini, Ndicka, Hermoso; Lulli, Kone, Cristante, Wesley; Mora, Dybala; Malen

We say: Lecce 0-2 Roma

The head-to-head list between these two Giallorossi rivals is heavily lopsided in Roma's favour, and that trend should continue on Monday.

A well-oiled machine under Gasperini, the visitors are set to start their season with back-to-back wins; Di Francesco will again come up short against the club he once played for and coached.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.