AS Roma vs Sassuolo: Predicted Lineups and Team News for Serie A Clash
AS Roma welcome Sassuolo to Stadio Olimpico in Rome for a Serie A clash on matchday 11 of the 2026 season. Roma arrive in outstanding form, unbeaten after 10 league games and sitting 3rd with 24 points, 28 goals scored and only 10 conceded. This fixture offers them a major opportunity to keep pace in the Champions League race and potentially apply pressure on the top two. With their attack averaging 2.8 goals per game, all eyes will be on the predicted lineups and how their main forwards are deployed.
Sassuolo, by contrast, come into this match under real pressure. They are 17th in Serie A with just 8 points from 10 matches, a goal difference of -10 and 26 goals conceded – the second-worst defensive record among the two sides here by some distance. Their league form string of “LLLLD” underlines a deep slump, and a trip to an in-form Roma side at the Olimpico is a daunting assignment. The away team’s starting lineup and how they compensate for several key absences could heavily shape the balance of this contest.
Recent head-to-head results strongly favour Roma, who have won four of the last five meetings in Serie A, including back-to-back home wins by 2-0 and 1-0. With Roma’s comparison indices dominating in form, attack and defense, this looks like a fixture where the expected starting lineup of the hosts should have enough quality to control proceedings if they perform to their current level.
AS Roma Team News & Expected Lineups Today
Roma’s squad picture for this game is positive: there are no players listed as missing or questionable, so the coach is expected to have a full group available. That continuity is reflected in their league form, with a recent run of “WWDWD” in Serie A and an even stronger extended form of “WWWWDDWDWW” across all league fixtures. With no significant absences reported, the focus shifts entirely to selection choices and rotation in a side that has been performing at a very high attacking level.
Tactically, Roma have leaned heavily on a back-three structure this season, with their most-used shape being a system with three central defenders and advanced attacking lines. They are expected to maintain an aggressive, front-foot approach at home, looking to press high and exploit Sassuolo’s fragile defense. The expected lineup should again be built around the attacking trio of Donyell Malen, Paulo Dybala and Matías Soulé, supported by creative and hard-working midfielders who can sustain pressure and recycle possession around the final third.
AS Roma Predicted Lineups & Starting Lineup
Predicted Starting XI:
GK: M. Svilar
DF: G. Mancini; Hermoso; L. Balerdi; N. Molina; E. Ndicka
MF: B. Cristante; Wesley; L. Pellegrini; P. Dybala; M. Soulé
FW: D. Malen
This predicted Roma starting lineup is constructed around their key statistical leaders. Donyell Malen is the standout figure up front, with 8 goals and 1 assist in Serie A, supported by strong underlying numbers: 30 shots (15 on target) and 13 key passes. His presence as the focal point in attack makes him the obvious choice to spearhead the forward line, especially at home where Roma average 2.8 goals per match.
Behind him, Matías Soulé offers a dual threat as both scorer and creator, with 3 goals and 3 assists from 10 appearances. His 17 key passes and 22 successful dribbles underline his importance between the lines and in wide pockets, where he can isolate Sassuolo’s full-backs. Paulo Dybala, the team’s top assist provider with 4 assists in just 6 appearances, is expected to operate in a free attacking role, drifting into half-spaces to link with Malen and Soulé. Wesley adds balance and progression from midfield, also contributing 3 assists and 22 key passes, while Bryan Cristante and Lorenzo Pellegrini are natural picks to give structure, pressing intensity and ball circulation in the middle.
Defensively, a core of Gianluca Mancini, Hermoso, L. Balerdi, N. Molina and Evan Ndicka provides a blend of physicality and ball-playing ability. With Roma conceding just 10 goals in 10 league games and keeping 5 clean sheets overall, this back unit has been effective at managing games even when the team commits numbers forward. Mile Svilar is the logical choice in goal as the senior shot-stopper in a side that also features P. Gollini and Devis Vasquez as alternatives.
Sassuolo Team News & Expected Lineups Today
Sassuolo arrive in Rome with a significantly more complicated squad situation. Several players are confirmed as missing for this fixture: I. Koné (broken leg), E. Pieragnolo (jumper’s knee), Fali Candé (jumper’s knee), D. Boloca (muscle bruise) and Y. Paz (jumper’s knee) are all ruled out. These absences hit both their defensive and midfield options, forcing the coach to reshuffle his resources in search of a more solid structure after a run of “LLLLD” in their last five league matches.
Given their struggles – 26 goals conceded in 10 games and no clean sheets – the away side are expected to set up in a cautious, compact manner, even though their most-used system this season has been an attack-minded shape with three forwards. The predicted lineups today should still feature their main attacking references such as Domenico Berardi and Kristian Thorstvedt, but with a clear emphasis on protecting the back line and closing central spaces against Roma’s creative midfielders. The coach will likely lean on experienced figures like Nemanja Matić to add control and positional discipline in midfield.
Sassuolo Predicted Lineups & Starting Lineup
Predicted Starting XI:
GK: S. Turati
DF: J. Doig; D. Ćaleta-Car; S. Walukiewicz; I. Van der Brempt
MF: N. Matić; L. Lipani; K. Thorstvedt; C. Volpato
FW: D. Berardi; A. Laurienté
In goal, S. Turati is a strong candidate to start ahead of A. Murić and G. Satalino, offering continuity in a season where stability has been hard to find. The back four is expected to feature Josh Doig on the left and I. Van der Brempt on the right, with D. Ćaleta-Car and S. Walukiewicz forming the central pairing. With Fali Candé and E. Pieragnolo unavailable, these full-backs are particularly important, needing to manage Roma’s wide threats while also supporting transitions.
In midfield, Nemanja Matić brings experience and positional intelligence, key for screening the defense. L. Lipani adds legs and energy, while Kristian Thorstvedt – who appears in the top red cards list but also contributes with 1 goal and 6 key passes – is likely to play as a more advanced midfielder, supporting the forwards and attacking the box. Cristian Volpato offers technical quality between the lines and can help connect the midfield to the front two.
Up front, Domenico Berardi remains Sassuolo’s primary attacking reference. He has 2 goals so far and appears among the league leaders for yellow cards, reflecting both his competitive edge and defensive work rate. Alongside him, Armand Laurienté provides pace and direct running, crucial for counter-attacks when Sassuolo look to exploit the space Roma may leave behind their aggressive pressing structure. Alternative forward options such as K. Bowie, N. Pierini or B. Domínguez give depth from the bench, but Berardi and Laurienté are the most likely starters in this predicted lineup.
Injuries and Suspended Players Impact
Absences are set to play a much bigger role for Sassuolo than for Roma in shaping the dynamics of this match. While Roma can field something very close to their strongest XI, Sassuolo must compensate for multiple missing players across defense and midfield, reducing their options to rotate and adjust in-game.
AS Roma Absences:
- No significant absences reported.
Sassuolo Absences:
- I. Koné — Broken Leg (Missing Fixture)
- E. Pieragnolo — Jumpers Knee (Missing Fixture)
- Fali Candé — Jumpers Knee (Missing Fixture)
- D. Boloca — Muscle Bruise (Missing Fixture)
- Y. Paz — Jumpers Knee (Missing Fixture)
The injuries to Pieragnolo and Candé reduce Sassuolo’s flexibility at the back, likely forcing heavy minutes for Doig and Van der Brempt. The absence of D. Boloca and I. Koné limits their midfield ball-winning and box-to-box presence, putting more defensive responsibility on Matić and Thorstvedt. With Roma’s attack in prolific form, this lack of depth could be exposed, especially in the later stages if Sassuolo tire and have fewer like-for-like replacements available.
Tactical Analysis: How the Lineups Match Up
This game projects as a clash between Roma’s high-powered, multi-layered attack and Sassuolo’s attempt to survive and counter from a deeper block. Roma’s predicted lineup is built to dominate territory and possession. With creators like Dybala, Soulé and Wesley operating behind Malen, the hosts can overload central zones, draw Sassuolo’s midfield out and then find runs in behind the back line. Roma’s league record – 28 goals scored, averaging 2.8 per game – underlines how effectively they turn pressure into chances, particularly in the final quarter of matches where they have scored heavily late on.
Sassuolo, conceding 2.6 goals per match on average and still searching for their first clean sheet, are likely to defend in a compact shape with two screening midfielders. Their best route into the game will be transitions: winning the ball through Matić or Lipani and quickly releasing Berardi and Laurienté into space, especially into the channels outside Roma’s wide defenders. However, Roma’s defensive numbers are solid – just 10 goals conceded and an unbeaten record – and their back line of Mancini, Hermoso and Ndicka, supported by Cristante, should be well-equipped to manage crosses and direct balls.
Key matchups include Berardi against Doig and Van der Brempt on one side versus Soulé and Dybala on the other. Roma’s comparison indices show a clear edge: a dominant overall comparison index of 76.3 versus 23.7 for Sassuolo, with the form index at 92% to 8% and the attack index at 67% to 33%. The Poisson index (84 vs 16) also leans heavily towards Roma, suggesting that, over many simulations, the home side generate far more scoring scenarios. For Sassuolo to take something from this game, they will need Berardi’s quality in decisive moments and a much more disciplined defensive performance than they have shown so far this season.
Match Prediction and Verdict
All major indicators point strongly in Roma’s favour. They are unbeaten in the league, have one of the most productive attacks in Serie A, and face an opponent in poor form with significant injuries. The head-to-head record is heavily tilted towards Roma in recent years, and the comparison indices reinforce the perception of a sizeable gap in current performance levels.
The prediction model gives Roma a 50% chance to win, with a 50% probability of a draw and effectively 0% assigned to a Sassuolo victory. While that split is unusually conservative on the away win, it still underscores Roma as the clear favourite. The betting markets are even more emphatic: home odds range from 1.29 to 1.36, implying an approximate winning probability for Roma in the 73–78% range, while draw odds around 5.00–6.02 imply roughly 16–20%, and away odds between 7.50 and 8.75 translate to only about 11–13%. Combined with Roma’s attacking numbers and Sassuolo’s defensive frailties, a home win with multiple goals in the game looks the most plausible scenario.
Predicted Outcome: AS Roma 2–0 Sassuolo
How to Watch AS Roma vs Sassuolo Worldwide
Here is how you can watch the match and see the official lineups today live:
- Spain: Local Serie A rights holder / major sports channel
- UK: Premium sports broadcaster with Serie A coverage
- USA / North America: Subscription streaming platform carrying Serie A
- South America: Regional sports network with Italian football rights
- MENA: Satellite sports network broadcasting Serie A
