Seeking a seventh straight win in Serie A, rejuvenated Roma are bound for Stadio Via del Mare, where they will meet lowly Lecce on Saturday evening.
While the capital club are back in the mix for a top-four finish, their fellow Giallorossi sit just outside the drop zone, having lost four games on the spin before international football intervened.
Match preview
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Quickly bouncing back from their latest Europa League exit, Roma went into this season's final international break with a 1-0 win over Cagliari, as Artem Dovbyk's second-half strike split the sides at Stadio Olimpico.
One of many players to blossom under the tutelage of interim coach Claudio Ranieri, Dovbyk has improved his Serie A scoring rate from one goal every 239 minutes to one every 159 minutes since the 73-year-old's arrival, also adding his only two assists of the campaign so far.
Following a disastrous start to the season, Ranieri has certainly helped turn things around, and his team have collected 29 points in 2025, with an impressive record of nine wins and two draws from 11 league matches.
That tally is the best across Europe's top five leagues this calendar year, and only perennial French champions Paris Saint-Germain have registered as many league victories over the same period.
Posting six Serie A wins on the spin for the first time in nine years has taken them closer to Bologna, Juventus and arch-rivals Lazio in the standings - Fiorentina and AC Milan have already been overtaken.
As a result of such form, Roma still have plenty to play for in the last few games of Ranieri's reign, before a new permanent manager is appointed in the summer.
Back in contention for a top-four finish, they have won all of their last four away matches in the Italian top flight - and a trip to one of their favourite opponents now awaits.
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Following a 4-1 defeat in the capital city earlier this season, Lecce have won only two of 37 Serie A meetings with Roma, losing on no fewer than 25 occasions.
Not only will history be against them on Saturday evening, but the hosts also come into this crucial contest amid a dismal run of form - in stark contrast to the good times being enjoyed by their fellow Giallorossi.
Marco Giampaolo's men are in need of points to aid their latest fight for top-flight survival, after taking two from the last six matches - including a 2-1 defeat to Genoa just before the international period, which left them 17th in the table.
Once again, Nikola Krstovic found the target - he has not only scored Lecce's last three goals but is also responsible for 48% of their meagre Serie A tally this term - yet they still came away from Marassi empty-handed.
The Salentini have now equalled their worst losing streak since a run of six consecutive losses between February and April 2023, and one more defeat would be the first run of five-in-a-row for Giampaolo.
Still without a home win in 2025, no Serie A side has scored fewer goals as hosts this calendar year - just two - so stopping in-form Roma represents a very tall task.
Team News
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After undergoing surgery for a thigh injury sustained against Cagliari, Roma talisman Paulo Dybala has been ruled out for the rest of the season, serving a big blow to their hopes of qualifying for Europe.
Having recently found form, his countryman Matias Soule may be selected to support Artem Dovbyk instead, although Stephan El Shaarawy, Tommaso Baldanzi and captain Lorenzo Pellegrini are also in contention.
Wing-backs Saud Abdulhamid, Anass Salah-Eddine and Devyne Rensch are also sidelined - and Zeki Celik's presence is in some doubt - leaving Angelino and Alexis Saelemaekers as favourites to occupy either flank.
By contrast, Lecce will only be missing long-term absentee Filip Marchwinski, meaning that coach Marco Giampaolo has plenty of options to choose from.
While Dovbyk spearheads Roma's attack, Nikola Krstovic is almost single-handedly keeping his team afloat: the Montenegrin striker has reached double figures in Serie A this season and is unlikely to remain at Via del Mare even if the Salentini stay up.
Lecce possible starting lineup:
Falcone; Guilbert, Baschirotto, Jean, Gallo; Coulibaly, Berisha; Pierotti, Helgason, Morente; Krstovic
Roma possible starting lineup:
Svilar; Mancini, Hummels, Ndicka; Saelemaekers, Kone, Cristante, Angelino; Soule, Pellegrini; Dovbyk
We say: Lecce 0-2 Roma
Lecce have failed to even score in half of their Serie A home games against Roma to date, and their dismal record this season suggests that trend could continue.
Though their rhythm may have been disrupted by the international break, Claudio Ranieri's side should pick up where they left off earlier this month.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
