Overview
After 9 seasons attached to Atalanta - the peak was the moment with La Dea to lift the Europa League 2024 cup - Gian Piero Gasperini returned to Bergamo, this time in the position of Roma head coach.
In a thorny journey to break into the top 4, Giallorossi only earned 3 points after 4 Serie A rounds before Christmas, causing hopes of returning to the Champions League after a long wait to be significantly eroded.
That trend continued at Bergamo. Atalanta took the lead thanks to a rare mistake by Mile Svilar, while Roma could not create a heavy enough response. In which Paulo Dybala missed the best scoring opportunity of the away team.
In the end, the capital team suffered a 0-1 defeat for the sixth time this season. And as usual, Gasperini did not hesitate to speak frankly when publicly blaming the attack.
After another goalless match, inevitable attention will be focused on the transfer window. Many strong rumors are surrounding Roma's pursuit of Giacomo Raspadori of Atletico Madrid and striker Joshua Zirkzee from Manchester United.
However, in the immediate future, Roma must prevent the decline in the rankings by maximizing points in the upcoming matches against Sassuolo, Torino and an opponent they are very fond of.
After two defeats last season, Lecce has only won 2 out of 38 encounters with Roma in Serie A, and has lost 26 matches. History clearly does not stand on their side in the upcoming match.
Not only disadvantaged in head-to-head matches, Lecce also entered the match with the goal of relegation, while Roma is still competing for a position in the Champions League group.
However, the developments of the past weekend ignited hope that Lecce could find his first victory against Roma in Serie A since April 2012.
In Turin, after Lameck Banda's super product was equalized right at the beginning of the second half, the Salento team still persistently held Juventus who were in high form with a score of 1-1.
The help of the goal frame and Wladimiro Falcone's penalty save helped Lecce bring back a golden point, even though they were under great pressure. Juventus controlled the ball 72% and launched 26 shots. Meanwhile, Banda's shot was Lecce's only accurate shot.
Thanks to that, Eusebio Di Francesco's team, although still near the danger zone, is in the best form this season. 7 points in the last 5 matches have breathed new life into their relegation race.
Personnel situation
After Gianluca Mancini and Mario Hermoso both received yellow cards, this duo will be absent due to suspension on the away trip to Via del Mare. Therefore, Gian Piero Gasperini has to struggle to find a way to patch up the defense.
Not only that, besides Moroccan midfielder Neil El Aynaoui, center-back Evan Ndicka is still participating in the African Cup with Ivory Coast. As a result, Roma is likely to have to play with a patchwork defense.
In midfield, Lorenzo Pellegrini will be out for at least one more match due to a hamstring injury, while Tommaso Baldanzi and Leon Bailey are still uncertain.
In attack, Artem Dovbyk has just returned from a thigh injury and may put pressure on Evan Ferguson's starting spot. Paulo Dybala is also not in his best form, so Roma's starting lineup is still a question mark.
On Lecce's side, Eusebio Di Francesco welcomes his old team at Salento in a context of weak force. Mergim Berisha, Riccardo Sottil and Tete Morente are all absent due to injury.
Midfielder Lassana Coulibaly (Mali) is still on international duty at AFCON, but Lameck Banda and Kialonda Gaspar have returned to play against Juventus after their national team was eliminated. Therefore, Lecce is unlikely to make too many changes in the squad.
Like Roma, Salentini is also "thirsty" for goals this season. Nikola Stulic and young striker Francesco Camarda (carried out from AC Milan) have not made a mark. Camarda has started in Turin but may have to give up a spot in the next match.
Expected lineup:
Falcone, Veiga, Gaspar, Gabriel, Gallo, Kaba, Ramadani, Pierotti, Helgason, Banda, Stulic.
Svilar, Celik, Ziolkowski, Ghilardi, Rensch, Kone, Cristante, Wesley, Soule, Dybala, Ferguson.
The match between Lecce and Roma takes place at 0:00 AM on January 7th (Vietnam time).
