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

After making a successful start to the season last week, Roma will seek maximum points again on Saturday evening, when they visit Pisa at Arena Garibaldi.

On Serie A's opening matchday, the Giallorossi beat Bologna to mark Gian Piero Gasperini's dugout debut with a win, while their hosts' new boss oversaw a promising draw in Bergamo.

Match preview

A new era began at Stadio Olimpico last weekend, as Roma hosted Bologna under the management of ex-Atalanta coach Gasperini - and the capital club produced a result befitting the occasion.

Aided by some dubious defending, Wesley's second-half strike proved enough to defeat last season's Coppa Italia winners, continuing a fine 2025 so far.

Following three consecutive sixth-placed finishes, Roma broke into the top five last term, only missing out on Champions League football by a whisker.

After enduring a chaotic start to the 2024-25 campaign, Claudio Ranieri's return prompted a 19-game unbeaten streak, before he handed over to 'Gasp', who has now started off in the same vein.

Five wins from seven pre-season games came amid a busy summer in the transfer market, and the Giallorossi could now win their first two league matches for just the third time in a decade.

This match will have extra resonance for older fans of Pisa, as they last witnessed top-flight football at Arena Garibaldi when Roma won 1-0 there way back in 1991.

That proved to be the Tuscans' last Serie A home fixture before a 34-year break, which will finally reach its end on Saturday evening.

Despite ending Pisa's three-decade wait to rejoin Italy's elite, promotion-winning boss Pippo Inzaghi soon left for Palermo, so Alberto Gilardino took charge of their comeback game last week.

The Nerazzurri stunned Atalanta by scoring first in Bergamo, but La Dea struck back, and the sides eventually settled for a 1-1 draw.

Pisa had previously inched past Cesena into the Coppa Italia's second round via a penalty shootout, so it has been a relatively successful start for their new boss.

However, history will weigh heavily against them when Roma come to town: they have lost 10 of 14 Serie A meetings between the clubs, winning just two.

Pisa Serie A form: D

Pisa form (all competitions): W D

Roma Serie A form: W

Team News

Roma have so far favoured new recruit Evan Ferguson over last season's top scorer Artem Dovbyk at the front of Gasperini's 3-4-2-1 formation, so the Republic of Ireland striker could start again.

While Lorenzo Pellegrini has been passed fit and Zeki Celik is back from a ban, recent arrival Leon Bailey suffered an injury during his first training session and will be sidelined for a month.

Saturday's game may come too soon for any further signings, but there is still plenty of movement going on in the market - English wingers Jadon Sancho and Tyrique George have both been linked.

Meanwhile, Pisa are set to acquire ex-Real Madrid and Napoli defender Raul Albiol, while Dutch midfielder Calvin Stengs has joined on loan.

They will bolster a squad missing injured trio Tomas Esteves, Isak Vural and Mateus Lusuardi; Danish forwards Henrik Meister and Alexander Lind are expected to overcome fitness issues.

The latter pair can compete for places in the final third, along with last term's top scorer Matteo Tramoni and Angola striker M'Bala Nzola.

Pisa possible starting lineup: Semper; Calabresi, Caracciolo, Canestrelli; Toure, Aebischer, Marin, Angori; Moreo, Tramoni; Meister

Roma possible starting lineup: Svilar; Hermoso, Mancini, Ndicka; Wesley, Cristante, Kone, Angelino; Dybala, El Shaarawy; Ferguson