The first match of the season went just about as well as one could hope for if you’re a Romanista. The Giallorossi ran Fiorentina out of the Stadio Olimpico in style, thanks to a hat trick from Donyell Malen and excellent performances from the entire side. That excellence translated to the Giallorossi ending the first match day in first place, and while there are still thirty-seven more matches to play, if Roma can keep playing the way they did against Fiorentina, a return to the Champions League
next season is likely in order—and who knows, maybe even bigger dreams can come true.
For any of that to happen, of course, Roma needs to win against the minnows. Tomorrow’s match is the perfect opportunity to set the tone for how i Lupi will approach those smaller sides. In the past, sides like Lecce have been a consistent thorn in Roma’s side; Roma has always been able to steel itself up for a match against the big boys, but it’s the draws and losses to small sides that have often been the difference maker in the hunt for Champions League football.
Match Details
Date: August 31st
Kickoff: 18:30 CET/12:30 EDT
Venue: Ettore Giardiniero-Via Del Mare, Lecce
Referee: Daniele Chifi
Eusebio Di Francesco’s Lecce is not chock full of galacticos, but players like Wladimir Falcone and Willem Geubbels are more than comfortable pestering Roma into a 0-0 or 1-1 draw. It will take effort from the same players that made the first match of the season such an emphatic win to get another three points out of the second match day. Let’s hope Gian Piero Gasperini’s men are up to the task.
What To Watch For
Can Roma’s Stars Keep Shining?
Roma won their first match of the season on the backs of Donyell Malen and Paulo Dybala, who are arguably the most talented players in the side. Malen’s three goals were assisted by Dybala, and the way they flowed with new signing Rodrigo Mora hinted at a new-look offense that could mimic the sustained excellence of Atalanta’s attack while Gasperini ran La Dea. Of course, Malen won’t score 114 goals this season, and Dybala won’t assist 114 either. Yet it was a very encouraging sign for the Giallorossi that both La Joya and Bobby Malen started the season firing on all cylinders; it is without a doubt a signal that Roma can and will find the net on a consistent basis.
While Gasperini undoubtedly hopes to see other forwards get on the board both tomorrow and in the future, I think it is safe to say that the difference between Roma being a Europa League side and a Champions League side likely rests on just how impressive of a season Malen and Dybala can put together. Roma doesn’t need Malen to be capocannoniere for them to achieve their goals this season, but it certainly couldn’t hurt. Another goal from Malen or another assist from Dybala will show that last week wasn’t a fluke for the duo, and that defenses need to keep an eye on the both of them (and hopefully others as well) if they don’t want their night to end in misery.
Does Lulli Get Another Start?
While last week was certainly about Roma’s superstars shining, it was also quite the welcome party for a new academy graduate. Emanuele Lulli started his time as a first team player with a bang, playing a key role in one of Roma’s goals and overall looking far beyond his years against Fiorentina. That’s enough for many to suspect that he has earned a starting spot until proven otherwise, and one has to hope that Gasperini will ride the hot hand and give the 19-year-old a true run in the first team.
That may sound like a lot of pressure to put on a player who had never played a senior minute before a week ago, but Lulli has been building toward this opportunity for quite some time. Lulli was one of the more consistent contributors in Federico Guidi’s Primavera side last season, and the athleticism, crossing ability, speed, and determination he displayed against Fiorentina is exactly the kind of play that Gasperini wants from his wing-backs. While he was thrust into the starting lineup due to injury concerns for Devyne Rensch and Nahuel Molina, another strong performance tomorrow against Lecce could be just what the youngster needs to cement himself as a star of the future for the Giallorossi.
Most importantly, Lulli has already shown that he is more than a decent low-cost way to fill the depth chart. His energy could prove particularly valuable as the schedule begins to pile up, and his hunger is evident on the pitch from the moment he receives the ball (or the moment he makes a clever tackle, as we saw last week). There’s obviously a long way to go before we can start calling him Roma’s next great academy product, but another strong showing against Lecce could make Lulli a truly intriguing piece of Roma’s system moving forward.
