Chiffi to referee Lecce–Roma; Di Paolo on VAR

Roma travel to Lecce for their first away match of the season on Monday 31 August at 18:30, in Serie A's second round. Daniele Chiffi will referee the fixture at the Via del Mare. After an excellent debut in the league, Gian Piero Gasperini's squad will be tested away from the Olimpico. Chiffi will be assisted by Imperiale and Cecconi, with Di Bello as fourth official. Di Paolo will handle VAR duties, while Paganessi serves as AVAR.

Roma supporters from Lazio are banned from attending the club's first away fixture of the season at Lecce on Monday 31 August. The Prefect of Lecce, acting on advice from the Committee for the Analysis of Sports Event Safety (CASMS), has closed the away section at Stadio Via del Mare and prohibited ticket sales to Lazio residents. The measure extends a travel ban that has applied since 18 January, when violent clashes between Roma and Fiorentina ultras occurred on the A1 motorway after a match in Turin. This is the first away match of the 2026–27 season for Roma, and the opening of the Lecce fixture will proceed without support from the club's organized home region. The decision, reportedly justified by reference to past incidents between the two sets of supporters, prompted immediate protest from Roma's fan groups. The Union of Roma Supporters (U.T.R.) and the Italian Roma Club Association (A.I.R.C.) issued a joint statement this morning condemning the measure. They stated: "We protest vigorously against yet another unjust discriminatory measure against Roma supporters, by which the Prefect of Lecce, on the instruction of the Committee for the Analysis of Sports Event Safety, has ordered the closure of the away section at Via del Mare stadium and a ban on ticket sales for the Lecce–Roma match scheduled for 31 August 2026 to residents in Lazio. This measure references generic incidents of which frankly we have no memory."

Devyne Rensch's muscular injury is not as serious as initially feared. An MRI on his left flexor revealed no major damage, with recovery expected to take 7–10 days; he is likely to miss the away trip to Lecce as a precaution after sustaining the problem during the match against Fiorentina. Donyell Malen's strong early-season form has reignited the race for the Serie A top scorer award. The Dutch forward has scored 17 goals in 19 matches for Roma, averaging 0.89 goals per game—a tally matching Lautaro Martínez's winning total in last season's title race, although Martínez reached it across 30 appearances. Malen is now positioned as Martínez's primary rival for the honour this term. Head coach Gasperini continues to manage expectations after Roma's 4–0 victory over Fiorentina. When asked about the title race, he responded dismissively: "You are a broken record." Gasperini's strategy is to capitalize on the fixture schedule and build momentum against Lecce and Atalanta, targeting 7–9 points before entering a more demanding phase of the season. Paulo Dybala has completed his entire pre-match preparation without injury or physical issues—a notable change from previous campaigns. Gasperini has praised his athletic condition but acknowledges that with Champions League, Serie A and Coppa Italia all running, he must carefully manage Dybala's minutes and recovery to maintain peak performance. Meanwhile, Unione Tifosi Romanisti and Associazione Italiana Roma Club have strongly protested the travel ban imposed on Roma supporters for the Lecce fixture. The fan groups argue it is "yet another unjust, discriminatory measure against Roma supporters" and point out that the Questore of Rome reported no incidents at the Olimpico during last season, calling for restoration of the "right to free movement of all citizens."