AS Roma Aim for Title Challenge Against Lecce
AS Roma head south to Salento on Sunday, carrying the weight of top spot and a growing sense that something serious is brewing under Gian Piero Gasperini.
They face Lecce at the Stadio Ettore Giardiniero, a fixture that history and current form both insist Roma should control. They arrive after a ruthless 4-0 dismantling of Fiorentina on Matchday 1, a statement win that pushed them to the summit of Serie A and extended a remarkable surge that began last season.
Roma’s surge and a familiar opponent
Six straight league victories. Five clean sheets in that run. Roma are not just winning; they’re strangling games, shutting down opponents and punishing every mistake.
Lecce know this pattern all too well. Roma have taken the last four meetings between the sides, and not by accident. The Giallorossi have typically imposed their rhythm, their physicality, and their quality in the final third. They travel as clear favourites again, with momentum, confidence and a manager whose ideas are starting to bite.
The question now is not whether Roma can win. It’s whether they can keep this level long enough to turn a hot streak into a title challenge.
Gasperini’s selection puzzle
Gasperini’s task this week is not about motivation. It’s about balance.
New faces have arrived, injuries are easing, and the squad is shifting shape. Argentine defender Leonardo Balerdi has been named in the squad for the first time and is widely tipped to walk straight into the starting XI. His debut would add fresh steel and aggression to a back line already brimming with confidence.
In midfield, Marten De Roon has wasted no time blending into the group after his surprise deadline-day switch from Atalanta. He brings bite, discipline and a familiarity with Gasperini’s demands that could prove invaluable as the season wears on.
But the squad is far from full strength. Roma travel without Lorenzo Pellegrini, a key creative reference, and Devyne Rensch, both sidelined with thigh and flexor issues. The club expects them back in full training next week, yet for this trip they remain notable absentees.
There is better news at wing-back. Nahuel Molina has shaken off a knock and is fit again, a timely boost that ramps up the competition for minutes. His return places real pressure on young Emanuele Lulli, who now has to fight to keep his place in a system that demands intensity and precision out wide.
Depth has taken a hit too. Robinio Vaz has departed for Hull City and Neil El Aynaoui has joined RB Leipzig, trimming Gasperini’s options and making every selection call that little bit sharper.
Predicted Roma XI
Even with those complications, Roma are expected to field a strong, aggressive side in Salento. The likely lineup:
Svilar; Mancini, Ndicka, Hermoso; Lulli, Kone, Cristante, Wesley; Mora, Dybala; Malen.
That shape offers thrust from the flanks, control through the middle and the creative chaos of Paulo Dybala supporting Donyell Malen up front. It is a team built to dominate territory and punish Lecce between the lines.
Kick-off and how to watch
Lecce vs AS Roma kicks off at 5:30pm BST on Monday, 31st August.
Viewers in the UK can watch the match live on DAZN.
Roma arrive as league leaders, on a six-game winning streak and with a new spine taking shape. The platform is there. Now comes the real test: can they turn early-season authority into something far more lasting?
