Who can stop Donyell Malen?
Roma played with complete abandon on the first matchday. Just like last season, one player stole the show for the Giallorossi: Donyell Malen. The 27-year-old tirelessly penetrated the penalty area with great instincts and scored the first three goals in the 4-0 victory over Fiorentina. We’re expecting another win for La Magica in our Lecce vs. AS Roma pick.
Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini clearly knows how to showcase Malen’s qualities quite well. Wearing the Roma jersey, the Dutchman has scored 17 goals in 19 league games leading up to this Lecce vs. AS Roma prediction.
However, we see even greater value in another Lecce vs. AS Roma betting line. As is well known, Gasperini’s teams press intensely and are very difficult to break down. Last season, the Romans adapted extremely quickly to the new style of play, conceding fewer than one goal per game (0.8) over the course of the season.
Furthermore, league games without conceding a goal were the foundation for their third-place finish in the standings. In total, the Giallorossi kept a clean sheet in 18 league games—every single match in which they didn’t concede ended in a victory for Gasperini’s squad.
The visitors appear to have lost little of their defensive strength over the summer. AS Roma earned a well-deserved 4-0 victory over Fiorentina. Data providers recorded hardly any scoring chances for Florence (0.32 xG). The Lecce coaching staff is accustomed to a lack of quality finishing. Last season, Francesco Eusebio coached the weakest expected offense (31.6 xG).
Lecce – AS Roma Head-to-Head Record
For years, there have been virtually no surprises in this matchup. Roma hasn’t lost a single match against the Salentini since 2012. Recently, shutout victories by the Giallorossi have been typical. Last season, Gasperini and his team won both matches without conceding a goal. Looking at the last five meetings, AS Roma has recorded four shutouts.
Furthermore, Gasperini himself has a strong record against Lecce. He has won ten of his 14 games against the southern Italian side. The 68-year-old also boasts a strong record against his direct managerial rival (21 games, averaging 1.95 points per game).
Lecce vs. AS Roma Prediction
We have no doubt that last season’s third-place finisher in Serie A will secure an away win. Both teams started the league season with a victory—but Roma’s three points were clearly the more impressive result. Furthermore, Lecce had already suffered a painful 0–2 loss to second-division side Palermo in the first round of the Coppa Italia.
There, the limitations of the home team’s offensive play were once again evident. Eusebio Di Francesco’s squad could have easily lost the subsequent match against Venezia FC as well. The Salentini were clearly outmatched in the xG comparison (1.55:3.02 xG).
Accordingly, we clearly favor the team from the Italian capital. They’ll likely be led once again by the in-form Donyell Malen, supported by his creative partner Dybala, who recorded three assists on the first matchday.
