Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Serie A match.
Lecce’s sudden collapse — four straight defeats — has dragged them back into the relegation battle, just as Roma look to maintain their strong domestic form following a disappointing Europa League elimination and a key injury blow to Paulo Dybala.
Lecce
It’s been a rough stretch for Lecce. They have lost six of their last nine league games, picking up just one win — a 3:1 away result at Parma. Defensively, they’ve been leaky since the turn of the year, conceding a league-high 19.76 xGA (second only to Monza’s 21.71, who are nearly doomed to relegation). At home, Lecce have shipped 25 goals — only Verona (32) have fared worse on their own turf.
AS Roma
In contrast, Roma are enjoying a superb run of form. Unbeaten in their last 11 Serie A outings, they have racked up 19.52 xG during that spell. Even after their Europa League elimination at the hands of Athletic Bilbao (3:4 on aggregate), they bounced back with a solid 1:0 home win over Cagliari — their sixth consecutive league victory. While Paulo Dybala’s injury is a blow, it opens the door for young talents Tommaso Baldanzi and Matías Soulé to step up in attack.
Lecce vs AS Roma Prediction
Roma dismantled Lecce (4:1) in their reverse fixture back in Matchday 15, having gone into half-time level. They have also turned around their away form in recent months — and with Lecce struggling defensively, they’ll fancy their chances again.
