AS Roma face Lecce away from in Tuesday evening in a Serie A encounter.
Roma come to this match on the back of a disappointing defeat against Atalanta and will look to bounce back from it and continue their good run of form against Lecce. The capital club haven’t lost to Lecce in their previous nine meetings, winning seven of them.
Lecce vs AS Roma – Match preview and team news
- Date: Tuesday, 6th January.
- Kick-off: 5pm BST.
- Venue: Stadio Ettore Giardiniero – Via Del Mare, Lecce.
Lecce team news
Eusebio Di Francesco’s side will welcome back key midfielder Lameck Banda after international duties, following his crucial goal in Saturday’s draw against Juventus. The Zambian winger broke the deadlock before halftime with a well-taken finish, demonstrating the clinical nature Lecce desperately needs in their attacking play.
However, Di Francesco continues to be hampered by injury concerns. Medon Berisha remains sidelined with a hamstring injury, while Riccardo Sottil, Tete Morente, and Christian Früchtl are all absent due to fitness issues.
Balthazar Pierret is also doubtful. Midfielder Lassana Coulibaly is on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations, limiting Di Francesco’s midfield options.
AS Roma team news
Roma head to Lecce in the midst of a significant defensive crisis. Gian Piero Gasperini is without his entire first-choice back three following suspensions for Gianluca Mancini and Mario Hermoso, both booked during Saturday’s loss to Atalanta. Ivory Coast international Evan Ndicka is also absent at the Africa Cup of Nations.
This defensive emergency leaves Gasperini with limited alternatives. Young prospect Jan Ziolkowski and former Verona defender Daniele Ghilardi remain the primary options. Alternative solutions include repositioning players such as Zeki Çelik or Bryan Cristante into unfamiliar central roles, though neither is a natural centre-back.
In attack, Paulo Dybala continues to struggle despite starting Saturday’s loss to Atalanta. The Argentine has failed to register a goal contribution since October 29, with three shots and six crosses against Atalanta yielding little impact.
Matias Soule is also a doubt with a knee issue that saw him limited to 66 minutes against Atalanta. Lorenzo Pellegrini remains sidelined with a hamstring strain, while Leon Bailey and Tommaso Baldanzi are both unavailable.
Form
Lecce
Di Francesco’s men have collected seven points from their last five matches, representing their best run of form this season. The 1-1 draw against in-form Juventus highlighted their defensive resolve, though they remain the league’s least prolific side alongwith Parma, both with just 12 goals in 17 matches.
AS Roma
Gasperini’s side concluded their first match of 2026 with disappointment, losing to Atalanta despite dominating possession. However, Roma have displayed inconsistency throughout the season, with wins interspersed between losses. Their 11 victories demonstrate quality, yet seven defeats raise questions about consistency—particularly their recent form against top sides.
They have now lost four of their last six league matches, which include defeats against Napoli, Juventus, Cagliari, and Atalanta. They currently sit fifth in the table with 33 points from 18 matches.
Predicted lineups
Lecce: Falcone; Veiga, Gaspar, Gabriel, Gallo; Kaba, Ramadani; Pierotti, Helgason, Banda; Stulic.
AS Roma: Svilar; Celik, Ziolkowski, Ghilardi; Rensch, Kone, Cristante, Wesley; Soule, Dybala; Ferguson.
How to watch Lecce vs AS Roma?
UK audiences can tune into Premier Sports to watch the game live.
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