Roma vs Genoa

Roma's grip on football's Serie A title race has loosened in recent weeks, with three defeats in their last five league matches (WLLWL). A 2-1 loss to Juventus just before Christmas compounded the slide, leaving the Giallorossi fourth on 30 points, three adrift of the summit.

Roma have already suffered six league defeats this season – more than any other side currently occupying the top nine. Yet they can lean on what remains the division's most resilient defence, having conceded just ten goals so far.

A return to the Stadio Olimpico could be timely, as Roma have collected more points than any other Serie A side in 2025. A victory on Monday would lift their calendar-year total to 82 points.

History also favours the hosts, who have lost just one of their last 20 league meetings with Genoa (14W, 5D, 1L), underscoring their long-standing dominance of this fixture.

However, the Giallorossi's resources are stretched. Edoardo Bove remains sidelined with a heart condition, Artem Dovbyk is out injured, while Neil El Aynaoui and Evan Ndicka are away on international duty with Morocco and Ivory Coast, respectively.

A 3-5-2 formation may be deployed with Matías Soulé and Evan Ferguson starting upfront.

Genoa head to the capital with survival as their overriding objective. Since Daniele De Rossi took charge in November, fortunes improved, with a run of two wins and two draws lifting the Rossoblù from the relegation zone to 17th on 14 points.

Encouragingly, Genoa are unbeaten in their last three away league matches (2W, 1D, 0L), and only three teams have scored more away goals than their tally of 11.

That momentum has stalled somewhat after consecutive home defeats to Inter Milan (1-2) and Atalanta (0-1), leaving Genoa just two points clear of the drop zone over Christmas.

De Rossi, who has won only two of his seven games in charge (2W, 2D, 3L), still faces a sizeable task, particularly defensively, with his side yet to register a clean sheet under his management.

Genoa’s selection issues further complicate matters, as Morten Frendrup, Leo Østigård and Benjamin Siegrist are injured, Nicola Leali is suspended, and Jean Onana is away on international duty.

Vitinha and Lorenzo Colombo are expected to pair up front in a 4—4—2 formation.