Preview: AS Roma vs AC Milan – prediction, team news, line-ups | OneFootball

The Stadio Olimpico will host a crucial Serie A encounter between AS Roma and AC Milan this Saturday, with both sides battling for a place in the top four.

Roma currently sit in fifth place on the Serie A table with 56 points, level on points with AC Milan in fourth. Both sides are on a +14 goal difference.

A win for either side could significantly boost their bid for a Champions League spot, while a defeat could spell the end of their hopes.

Roma were unbeaten in their last three league games before their 3-1 loss to Atalanta on Monday. AC Milan beat Lecce this weekend to earn their first league win after two draws.

With so much at stake, this will be a closely contested encounter, with both sides likely to leave everything on the pitch.

Match Preview

After sealing qualification to the Champions League semi-final by beating Napoli, the Rossoneri celebrated joyfully.

Milan rode that confidence into their Serie A clash with Lecce.

Rafael Leao undid Napoli’s defence with his mazy dribbling. This time, he was finishing off chances, scoring a double to send Milan to fourth position.

Keeping him quiet will be top of Roma’s to-do list if they want the win.

Surprisingly, the Portuguese international scored a header – a rarity for him. He praised manager Stefano Pioli for helping him work on headed goals.

The club will look favourably on a top-four finish despite failing to defend their Serie A title. They will also be happy about the deep run in the Champions League.

This season is the first time they have reached the semi-finals since 2007 when they last won the trophy. They will fancy their chances of making it to the final.

AS Roma have also enjoyed European success, reaching the Europa League semi-final. They beat Feyenoord to reach the last four.

The Eredivisie side were their opponents in last year’s Europa Conference League final triumph.

Feyenoord coach Arne Slot had claimed he preferred to watch Napoli and Manchester City rather than Roma.

After securing the win, Jose Mourinho followed Slot and told him to show some respect.

Roma will face Xabi Alonso-led German club Bayer Leverkusen in the semi-finals.

Unfortunately, they could not bring their European form into their Serie A clash with Atalanta.

La Dea countered the capital club and beat them 3-1 in Mourinho’s 100th match as Roma boss.

The first league clash between Milan and the Giallorossi ended in a 2-2 draw at the San Siro. This game always provides goals and it will likely be the same this weekend.

Team News

Roma will likely be without talismanic attacker Paulo Dybala.

Atalanta’s Jose Luis Palomino put a nasty challenge on the Argentine attacker that might have caused a sprain. Dybala could barely place his foot on the ground.

Diego Llorente had to come off after suffering an injury while chasing the ball. He was in agony as he went off, putting his season in doubt.

Roma played with nine men as they had completed their substitutions.

They are also without Chris Smalling and Rick Karsdorp this weekend.

Milan could have striker Olivier Giroud back after he missed the win over Lecce.

They could go with Ante Rebic or Zlatan Ibrahimovic or Divock Origi if he is absent.

Tommaso Pobega and Sergino Dest definitely miss out.

Serie A Form

AS Roma: LWWWL

AC Milan: LWDDL

AS Roma vs AC Milan Potential lineups

AS Roma (3-4-2-1): Rui Patricio; Roger Ibanez, Gianluca Mancini, Marash Kumbulla; Leonardo Spinazzola, Nemanja Matic, Bryan Cristante, Mehmet Zeki Celik; Ola Solbakken, Lorenzo Pellegrini, Tammy Abraham.

AC Milan (4-2-3-1): Mike Maignan; Pierre Kalulu, Simon Kjaer, Fikayo Tomori, Theo Hernandez; Ismael Bennacer, Sandro Tonali; Rafael Leao, Brahim Diaz, Alexis Saelemaekers; Olivier Giroud.

We Say: AS Roma 1-2 AC Milan

Roma will be without Dybala, and it is hard to see where goals will come from with Tammy Abraham misfiring.

However, if they set up defensively, they could get something on the counter-attack as Milan are not so tight at the back.

With Leao in devastating form, Milan should have enough about them to secure a narrow victory.

Watch Serie A Games Live

The game between AS Roma and AC Milan, alongside other Serie A fixtures, can be viewed online via live Serie A streams.