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

Serie A's 2025 schedule will come to a close with a yuletide reunion on Monday evening, as Roma welcome Genoa to Stadio Olimpico.

In the final fixture of Matchday 17, both bosses are still revered at the other club, with Gian Piero Gasperini fondly remembered by fans of the Grifone and Daniele De Rossi heading back to his Roman home.

Match preview

Sustaining another blow in their fight for an elusive top-four finish, Roma lost their final game before Christmas to fellow challengers Juventus, who pulled within one point in the Serie A standings.

The Giallorossi's 2-1 defeat in Turin followed recent losses to Napoli and Cagliari, albeit those setbacks were punctuated by wins over Celtic and Como.

Having collected just three points from their last four league games, Roma have started to slip down the table - yet they remain within touching distance of top spot.

Such success has been built on the best defensive record in Italy's top flight - 10 goals conceded in 16 matches so far - and reflects significant progress since Claudio Ranieri began to turn things around late last year.

Ahead of Scudetto rivals Napoli and Inter Milan, the capital club have actually accrued more points than anyone else in 2025, and they can take their tally up to 82 by winning again on Monday.

Across two spells, current coach Gasperini managed Genoa for a total of 297 competitive matches, and the veteran tactician is set to face former clubs twice in the next few days.

Before returning to Bergamo for a reunion with Atalanta BC, 'Gasp' must try to extend Roma's fine record against their Rossoblu rivals: they have lost just one of the last 20 league meetings, winning 14.

Across 64 previous top-flight contests in Rome, there have been just nine Genoa wins - with the most recent dating back to 1990 - so De Rossi will have history stacked against him upon his return to the 'Eternal City'.

As an influential midfielder, he made 616 Roma appearances - only second to Francesco Totti in the all-time list - before last year's unsuccessful spell as head coach.

Having overseen 30 just games in charge of his boyhood club before being fired, De Rossi will now face them as an opponent for the very first time.

Genoa were deep in danger before his appointment earlier this season, but a run of two wins and two draws quickly lifted them out of the drop zone.

However, faced with two tough fixtures before Christmas, the Grifone then failed to pick up anything from games against Inter and Atalanta.

In the latter, Nicola Leali's early dismissal cost them dearly, though they still came close to snatching a point despite the goalkeeper's reckless red card: only a last-gasp winner saw La Dea over the line.

Still, since De Rossi's arrival, Genoa have won two of their last three away games in Serie A - as many wins as across the previous 17 - so they may be ready to cause an upset at the Olimpico.

Roma Serie A form:

W W L L W L

Roma form (all competitions):

W L L W W L

Genoa Serie A form:

D D W W L L

Genoa form (all competitions):

D W L W L L

Team News

Roma will be forced to make at least one change on Monday, as Lorenzo Pellegrini has sustained a hamstring injury in training and will join Leon Bailey on the sidelines.

Both Neil El Aynaoui and key defender Evan Ndicka are in action at the Africa Cup of Nations, but Gasperini has welcomed back Artem Dovbyk from a thigh problem.

The latter is the Giallorossi's top scorer for 2025 with a modest tally of 15 goals, while fellow forwards Evan Ferguson and Paulo Dybala have struggled this season; it remains to be seen who will start up front.

Meanwhile, Genoa must make a switch between the posts, as Leali is suspended: Benjamin Siegrist has a broken finger, so third-choice stopper Daniele Sommariva will deputise.

The Rossoblu have a long injury list, also including Junior Messias, Morten Thorsby, Hugo Cuenca, Arthur Gronbaek and Maxwel Cornet, while Jean Onana is away with Cameroon at AFCON.

In better news for De Rossi, defensive rock - and three-goal top scorer - Leo Ostigard has overcome a calf problem and should now be fit enough to start.

Roma possible starting lineup:

Svilar; Celik, Mancini, Hermoso; Rensch, Kone, Cristante, Wesley; Soule, Baldanzi; Dybala

Genoa possible starting lineup:

Sommariva; Marcandalli, Ostigard, Vazquez; Norton-Cuffy, Frendrup, Malinovskyi, Ellertsson, Martin; Vitinha, Colombo

We say: Roma 1-0 Genoa

Including their current Europa League campaign, Roma are without a draw in 28 matches, and another win should extend that quirky streak on Monday.

Though an unfamiliar back three conceded twice against Juventus, the hosts are usually tough to score against, and they can strike once to spoil De Rossi's return.

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