Hoping to finally turn a corner, crisis club Roma will welcome Serie A strugglers Lecce to Stadio Olimpico on Saturday evening.
The Giallorossi have lost six of their last seven league games - including all their last four - while Lecce have enjoyed a new-manager bounce since the last international break.
Match preview
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After Monday's 2-0 home defeat to an apparently unstoppable Atalanta BC on home turf, Roma still have just 13 points on the board so far this season, therefore averaging below one per game from their first 14 Serie A fixtures for only the third time in their history.
In those terms, it is the capital club's worst start to a top-flight campaign since 1978, so returning hero Claudio Ranieri has a significant job on his hands to steady the ship.
Including their recent draw with Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League, Roma have yet to taste success since Ranieri was lured out of retirement, and they are winless in six matches across all competitions.
Only once in their long Serie A history have the Giallorossi recorded five consecutive league defeats - between February and March 1951 - but another loss this weekend would level that landmark.
Occupying 15th place in the table, they are side-by-side with Lecce ahead of the clubs' Saturday night contest, and only victory will do for Roma's restless faithful, who have been calling for the board to quit.
History, at least, will be on their side: after losing their first top-flight home match against the Salentini back in 1986, they have gone unbeaten through the next 17, winning all of the last seven.
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Indeed, as they prepare to meet their fellow Giallorossi in the Italian capital, Lecce have won just twice in 36 Serie A meetings with Roma at Stadio Olimpico.
They have recently pulled level on points with their hosts, though, as the arrival of new boss Marco Giampaolo has brought a quick uptick in fortunes.
First, Lecce finally scored a first away goal of the season while beating Venezia 1-0, then they snatched a last-gasp point at home to Turin giants Juventus.
A stoppage-time strike from Ante Rebic secured a dramatic 1-1 draw at Via del Mare, and they have now scored in their last three league games; that is as many times as in the previous 14, during which they failed to find the net on 11 occasions.
Giampaolo has certainly stopped them shipping goals, and following their clean sheet in Venice, Lecce hope to frustrate an ailing Roma side that will be under serious pressure to produce.
Team News
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After being forced off during Monday's loss to Atalanta, Mats Hummels missed two days training, but Roma's veteran centre-back should be available on Saturday and could now start three straight games following a long spell on the bench under previous management.
Claudio Ranieri should have another defender, Mario Hermoso, back his disposal this weekend, while rising star Niccolo Pisilli returns to action after a one-match ban.
Set to deputise for Artem Dovbyk up front - as the Ukrainian striker is struggling to shake off a minor injury - Paulo Dybala has scored four times in six Serie A meetings with Lecce to date, and an average of a goal every 101 minutes is his third-best rate against an individual club.
Meanwhile, Lecce will be without Lameck Banda, Antonino Gallo, Kevin Bonifazi and Balthazar Pierret due to injury, while Filip Marchwinski sprained his right ankle in training and could also be sidelined.
Gallo's absence may see Danish winger Patrick Dorgu shifted to his old position at left-back, though Andy Pelmard is another option to deputise on that side of the visitors' back four.
Nikola Krstovic spearheads the Salentini's attack, aiming to improve his record of just two league goals this season - the Montenegrin striker scored more in one UEFA Nations League game against Turkey in November.
Roma possible starting lineup:
Svilar; Mancini, Hummels, Ndicka; Celik, Kone, Paredes, Angelino; Pellegrini, El Shaarawy; Dybala
Lecce possible starting lineup:
Falcone; Guilbert, Gaspar, Baschirotto, Dorgu; Coulibaly, Rafia, Ramadani; Pierotti, Krstovic, Rebic
We say: Roma 1-0 Lecce
It is surely now or never for a plummeting Roma side, who simply must win at home to their southern rivals.
As Lecce have only scored twice in the first half all season, the hosts can get the job done if they secure a lead that takes some weight off their shoulders.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
