Lecce vs. Roma | Serie A | Pre Match
Lecce vs. Roma
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 in a clash that pits two teams at opposite ends of the form table against one another. Roma, under the steady hand of interim coach Claudio Ranieri, have undergone a remarkable transformation in recent months, clawing their way back into contention for a top-four finish and rekindling hopes of Champions League qualification. The Giallorossi from the capital have been a force to be reckoned with in 2025, their resurgence marked by a string of impressive results that have propelled them up the standings and restored a sense of pride among their passionate fanbase. In contrast, their fellow Giallorossi from Lecce are teetering just outside the relegation zone, their season spiraling downward after four consecutive defeats before the international break brought a temporary reprieve. The disparity between the two sides could not be more pronounced, with Roma riding a wave of momentum while Lecce scramble to arrest a slide that threatens to drag them into the abyss of Serie B. For Roma, this fixture represents an opportunity to further solidify their credentials as genuine contenders, while for Lecce, it is a desperate chance to halt their freefall and cling to their top-flight status.
Roma’s latest triumph came just before the international break, a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Cagliari at the Stadio Olimpico, where Artem Dovbyk’s second-half strike proved the difference between the two sides. The Ukrainian forward has been a revelation under Ranieri’s guidance, his goal-scoring prowess blossoming as he has improved his Serie A strike rate from one goal every 239 minutes to one every 159 minutes since the 73-year-old took charge. Dovbyk’s resurgence is emblematic of the broader revival Ranieri has overseen, with the veteran coach coaxing career-best performances from a host of players who had previously struggled for consistency. In addition to his goals, Dovbyk has chipped in with his only two assists of the campaign, further underlining his growing influence in Roma’s attack. Ranieri’s impact cannot be overstated—after a disastrous start to the season that saw Roma languishing in the lower reaches of the table, the interim boss has engineered a stunning turnaround, collecting 29 points in 2025 alone. That haul, derived from nine wins and two draws in 11 league matches, is the best record across Europe’s top five leagues this calendar year, a statistic that places Roma alongside perennial French champions Paris Saint-Germain as the only teams to register as many victories over the same period. For a club that had been written off earlier in the campaign, this run of form—six consecutive Serie A wins, their longest streak in nine years—has reignited dreams of a return to Europe’s elite competition.
The contrast with Lecce could hardly be starker. While Roma have surged past the likes of Fiorentina and AC Milan in the standings, drawing ever closer to Bologna, Juventus, and arch-rivals Lazio, Lecce have plummeted into a fight for survival. Marco Giampaolo’s men have managed just two points from their last six matches, a dismal return that includes a 2-1 defeat to Genoa immediately prior to the international break—a result that left them languishing in 17th place, perilously close to the drop zone. Once again, it was Nikola Krstovic who provided a glimmer of hope for the Salentini, the Montenegrin striker scoring his side’s lone goal in that loss to Genoa. Krstovic has been a rare bright spot in an otherwise bleak season for Lecce, single-handedly accounting for 48% of their meager Serie A goal tally and netting their last three strikes in succession. Despite his heroics, Lecce have been unable to convert individual brilliance into collective success, and their current run of four straight defeats has them teetering on the brink of equaling their worst losing streak since a six-game skid between February and April 2023. One more loss would mark the first time under Giampaolo that Lecce have dropped five in a row, a statistic that underscores the dire straits in which they find themselves as they prepare to face a rampant Roma side.
History offers little comfort for Lecce ahead of this daunting encounter. Roma have dominated their head-to-head record in Serie A, winning 25 of their 37 meetings, with Lecce managing just two victories—the most recent of which came decades ago. Earlier this season, Roma dispatched Lecce 4-1 in the reverse fixture in the capital, a result that highlighted the gulf in quality between the two teams. That defeat was part of a broader pattern of struggle for Lecce, who have failed to secure a single home win in 2025, a record that leaves them with the fewest goals scored as hosts in Serie A this calendar year—just two. Stopping an in-form Roma side that has won all four of its most recent away matches in the top flight represents a monumental challenge for Giampaolo’s beleaguered squad, one made all the more difficult by their inability to find the back of the net with any regularity. For Roma, the trip to Stadio Via del Mare is a golden opportunity to extend their winning streak against one of their favorite opponents, a chance to pile further misery on a Lecce side that appears ill-equipped to halt their juggernaut.
Roma’s preparations for the match have been dealt a significant blow, however, with the news that talismanic forward Paulo Dybala has been ruled out for the remainder of the season following surgery for a thigh injury sustained against Cagliari. Dybala’s absence is a bitter pill to swallow for a team with designs on a top-four finish, as the Argentine’s creativity and flair had only recently begun to shine through after a slow start to the campaign. In his stead, Ranieri must choose from a wealth of attacking options, with Matias Soule—a compatriot of Dybala’s who has found form of late—potentially stepping up to support Dovbyk in the final third. Other contenders include Stephan El Shaarawy, Tommaso Baldanzi, and captain Lorenzo Pellegrini, all of whom bring different qualities to the table and offer Ranieri tactical flexibility. The injury crisis extends beyond Dybala, with wing-backs Saud Abdulhamid, Anass Salah-Eddine, and Devyne Rensch also sidelined, while Zeki Celik’s availability remains in doubt. As a result, Angelino and Alexis Saelemaekers are likely to occupy the flanks, tasked with providing width and defensive stability against a Lecce side that will lean heavily on Krstovic’s goal-scoring instincts. Lecce, by contrast, have a relatively clean bill of health, with only long-term absentee Filip Marchwinski missing, giving Giampaolo a full complement of players to choose from as he seeks a formula to upset the odds.
For Roma, the stakes remain high as they approach the final stretch of Ranieri’s interim tenure, with a permanent manager set to take over in the summer. A seventh straight win would not only cement their top-four credentials but also send a message to their rivals that the Giallorossi are back with a vengeance. For Lecce, the match is a desperate bid to turn the tide, with Krstovic—who has already reached double figures this season—carrying the weight of their survival hopes on his shoulders. The Montenegrin’s form has been exceptional, and his future at Via del Mare seems uncertain regardless of whether Lecce stay up, as bigger clubs are likely to come calling. As Saturday evening approaches, the clash at Stadio Via del Mare looms as a defining moment for both teams—one chasing glory, the other clinging to survival.
