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

Having stormed towards the finish line last season, Roma will seek a fast start to the 2026-27 Serie A campaign when they welcome Fiorentina to Stadio Olimpico on Monday.

While the Giallorossi finished third and snatched a seat at Europe's top table, the Viola survived an unexpected fight for survival.

Match preview

Overtaking key rivals AC Milan and Juventus, Roma ended last season's league campaign with five consecutive wins, scoring at least two goals per game and conceding just twice in the process.

Capping off a memorable first year in charge for Gian Piero Gasperini, the Rome club's last-day victory over Hellas Verona booked their return to the Champions League after an eight-year absence.

While former Europa League winner Gasperini will savour another shot at UEFA's top competition, his next task must be to build a team capable of challenging for the Scudetto.

However, Roma's summer recruitment has progressed rather slowly for his liking, and results have been pretty mixed in pre-season.

The Giallorossi let a big lead slip to draw 3-3 with Cannes before losing 4-1 to Cardiff City; then, they beat Newport County, lost 3-0 to Brighton and drew 2-2 with Borussia Dortmund.

Such a run may concern Gasperini, after last season's success was built on solidity. Only Inter Milan and Como kept more clean sheets in Serie A; across Europe's top five leagues, only Champions League finalists Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain recorded more on home turf.

Also impressive was Roma's record of 13 wins and just three losses as hosts, including an emphatic 4-0 victory over Fiorentina in May.

In fact, Roma have lost just three of the clubs' last 52 league meetings at Stadio Olimpico, with Fiorentina's most recent win in this fixture dating back to 2018.

Since then, the Viola have suffered six defeats and only picked up two points, so history will be against them when they return to Rome on Monday.

It has been a strange year for the Tuscan club, who ultimately achieved their objective at the end of the 2025-26 season - albeit not the one they started out with last August.

Following a terrible start, Fiorentina's main aim switched from qualifying for Europe to staying afloat in Serie A, and they only rubber-stamped the latter task with two rounds remaining.

Despite Paolo Vanoli stepping in and hauling them back from the brink - by posting the division's seventh-best record during the second half of the season - he has since been replaced by Fabio Grosso.

The former Sassuolo coach can build on Vanoli's base - just one loss in the last 11 league fixtures and five clean sheets from the last eight - having been provided with several astute signings.

After finishing pre-season with back-to-back draws against Real Madrid and Deportivo La Coruna, before beating Benevento 4-1 in the Coppa Italia, Fiorentina now face a tough test of their top-flight credentials.

Roma pre-season form:

Fiorentina form (all competitions):

Team News

Roma's attack is usually led by Donyell Malen - who made a huge impact after arriving midway through last season - and evergreen veteran Paulo Dybala, but they now have fresh competition in Santiago Castro.

Recently arrived from Bologna, the Argentine striker will be vying to start on Monday evening, when compatriot Nahuel Molina - who has just been handed a seven-match international ban - may also make his competitive debut.

Fellow new boys Rodrigo Mora and Konstantinos Koulierakis could be named on the bench; only Wesley (ankle) and Lorenzo Pellegrini (fitness) are doubts.

Meanwhile, Fiorentina will be missing long-term absentee Fabiano Parisi, and key midfielder Rolando Mandragora continues to struggle with a back problem that kept him out of the cup win against Benevento.

Several summer signings are available to make their Serie A debut in the famous Viola jersey, including Arthur Atta, Christ Oulai, Mateo Pellegrino and rising star Franco Mastantuono.

Top scorer for both of the past two seasons, Moise Kean should start up front, having started his account with a Coppa Italia strike last time out.

Curiously, Kean has netted four league goals against Roma but has yet to score one at the Olimpico in 10 previous attempts.

Roma possible starting lineup:

Svilar; Mancini, Ndicka, Hermoso; Molina, Kone, Cristante, Wesley; Soule, Dybala; Malen

Fiorentina possible starting lineup:

De Gea; Mario, Dragusin, Ranieri, Valdepenas; Ndour, Fagioli, Oulai; Mastantuono, Atta; Kean

We say: Roma 2-1 Fiorentina

Roma have lost only one of their last 14 Serie A season openers - including wins against Fiorentina in 2014 and 2021 - and they can make another positive start.

While Fiorentina have fresh ideas under Grosso and have made some exciting signings, the hosts are far further along in their development and generally raise their game on home turf.

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