AS Roma vs Genoa - Prediction, Preview and Lineups | Serie A - 17 October 2026

 

On Saturday night, AS Roma host Genoa at the Stadio Olimpico for Matchday 7 of Serie A. Kick-off is 20:45 CEST under the lights in Rome. It should be a fascinating night, not least because of the man in the away dugout - Daniele De Rossi, Roma legend, back at the Olimpico, but this time trying to beat it.

At a glance

Fixture: AS Roma vs Genoa - Serie A 2026/27, Matchday 7

Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Date: Saturday 17 October 2026

Kick-off: 20:45 CEST

Managers: Gian Piero Gasperini (Roma) vs Daniele De Rossi (Genoa)

Where to watch

In Italy, the game will be live on Sky Sport Calcio, with streaming on Sky Go for subscribers.

If you are watching from outside Italy, it will depend on your local Serie A rights holder. Most markets have it on a licensed sports channel or their official app. Check the Serie A website or your local listings on the day, kick-off times and channels can still shift late.

The story so far

Roma come into this with something to prove. They have been sharp in spells this season, hard to press, and typically relentless at home where they know how to pin teams back.

Their last outing summed up both sides of that. A 0-0 away at Como on 11 October was not pretty. Donyell Malen saw red, Roma had to dig in with ten men, and Pierluigi Gollini kept them level with a couple of big saves. Not the result they wanted, but the resilience mattered.

Before that, the picture was brighter. A 2-0 win away at Torino, a 2-2 with Inter that could easily have been three points, a 2-1 win over Atalanta and a 4-0 hammering of Lecce on opening weekend. When Roma are at full strength, they can unpick both a deep block and a more open defence.

Genoa arrive in Rome with a lift. Their 2-1 win over Fiorentina on 10 October was their first league win of the season, and you could see what it meant. They started on the front foot, pressed with purpose and punished mistakes.

It has been bumpy though. Before Fiorentina there was a 2-1 defeat at Parma, a 1-1 draw with Frosinone and a heavy 4-1 loss to Como. Consistency has been the issue. De Rossi has them fighting, but this is a different kind of test.

Tactical breakdown

How Roma will try to win it

It is classic Gasperini. A 3-4-2-1 that is built to move the ball forward fast, not just keep it.

Three centre-backs give them security in the first phase, the two wing-backs provide all the width and stretch the pitch, and then two No.10s tuck inside to find pockets between midfield and defence. The idea is simple: drag you towards the ball, then attack the space you leave.

The press is just as important. Roma want to show you wide, force you to the touchline or force a rushed pass inside where they can bite. Win it high, go direct before you are set.

The early numbers back it up. Around 11 October, Roma were averaging about 58% possession, creating 2.56 expected goals per game while conceding just 1.11 xG. Small sample, early season, but it points to a team creating good chances and not giving up many big ones.

The vulnerability? The space behind those wing-backs. If Genoa can play one clean pass through that first line of pressure, Roma's wide centre-backs have a lot of ground to cover.

How Genoa can make it awkward

Expect a 3-5-2 from De Rossi. Three centre-backs, two hard-working wing-backs, three in midfield to crowd out Roma's two attacking midfielders.

The temptation will be to drop deep and become a back five for 90 minutes. If they do that, they will be camped in their own box and the two forwards will be isolated. Every clearance comes straight back.

The smarter way is selective pressure. Press hard when Roma go wide and try to trap them by the touchline, but do not chase every inside pass. Keep the gap between defence and midfield tight so there is nowhere for Roma's tens to turn.

And when they win it, they have to go. A quick first pass into the striker, a midfielder running beyond, winning territory. Set pieces and crosses will matter too.

The question is whether they can stay organised for the full game. They did it in bursts against Fiorentina. Roma will ask them to do it for much longer, with the Curva Sud pushing the tempo.

Team news

AS Roma

Donyell Malen is suspended after that red card at Como. It takes away a key forward option and forces Gasperini to tweak the front line.

Bryan Cristante has been listed as doubtful or unavailable in the latest updates, and first-choice keeper Mile Svilar is also expected to miss out, which means Gollini should continue after his solid shift at Como.

Wesley has been reported with a muscle issue and Evan Ndicka's availability is still uncertain. With a Champions League game either side of this, do not be surprised if Gasperini rotates if someone is not fully fresh. The final training sessions on Friday and Saturday morning will be decisive.

Genoa

Genoa's list is longer. Lorenzo Venturino, Elias Havel, Alex Amorim and Maxwel Cornet have all been mentioned as doubtful or unavailable in pre-match reports, but return dates have varied across sources. Best to wait for the official squad.

No suspensions have been flagged for Genoa in the reports consulted, but again, the official team sheet an hour before kick-off is what counts. De Rossi will likely want continuity after the Fiorentina win if the players who started are fit.

Predicted lineups

These are projections, not confirmed XIs. Fitness checks will change things.

Roma (3-4-2-1): Gollini; Mancini, centre-back, centre-back; Rensch, midfield pair, El Shaarawy; two attacking midfielders; Castro.

The exact make-up of the back three will depend on who comes through the last session.

Genoa (3-5-2): Goalkeeper; three centre-backs; two wing-backs, three central midfielders; two forwards.

Expect De Rossi to stick with the structure that beat Fiorentina, with personnel depending on recovery.

Head to head

Roma have had the upper hand at the Olimpico, but this fixture has a habit of biting.

Roma won 3-1 at home on 29 December 2025 and by the same scoreline in January 2025. They won 1-0 at home in May 2024, with a 1-1 draw in Genoa in September 2024 in between. Genoa will remember September 2023 though, when they thrashed Roma 4-1 at home. And the most recent meeting, on 8 March 2026, finished 2-1 to Genoa.

Across the last five league meetings before this weekend: three Roma wins, one Genoa win, one draw.

Prediction: Roma 2-0 Genoa

Roma deserve to be favourites. Home advantage, the ability to control where the game is played, and that chance creation. They do not just score because they are finishing hot, they score because they create five or six good looks a game. That 2.56 xG average is the sustainable kind.

But it will not be straightforward. Malen's absence makes them a bit more predictable, there are doubts at the back, and the Champions League calendar adds load.

Genoa will have their moments if they are brave. Roma commit so many players to the press that one sloppy pass can leave huge space behind. Genoa should not try to out-possess them, they should wait and hit directly into the channels.

Still, if Roma win the second balls and keep Genoa pinned, they should create enough. An early goal would force Genoa to open up, which is exactly what Roma want.

Call it 2-0 Roma. Likely a goal from a combination around the box or a second phase from a set piece to break it, then control to see it out. If Genoa stay compact, it could be tight for an hour, but Roma's waves of pressure tend to tell in the end.

As always, this is based on form and information available before kick-off. The final team sheets could change the picture.