Roma at Ferraris: Genoa-Roma lineups as kickoff nears

roma heads to the Ferraris with official lineups announced: De Rossi deploys Ekhator and Ekuban up front while Gasperini counters with Malen as a lone striker flanked in support by Pellegrini and Venturino.

What Are the Confirmed Lineups?

The managers have set their starting XIs as follows.

• Bijlow; Marcandalli, Ostigard, Vasquez; Sabelli, Masini, Frendrup, Messias, Ellertsson; Ekhator, Ekuban. Coach: De Rossi.
• Svilar; Mancini, Ndicka, Celik; Rensch, Koné, Pisilli, Tsimikas; Pellegrini, Venturino; Malen. Coach: Gasperini.

What Happens for Roma’s Attack?

Gasperini has opted for a front line built around a solitary striker. Malen starts as the lone forward with Pellegrini and Venturino positioned behind him, suggesting a plan to create overloads between the lines and supply the striker through runs and combinations. On the opposing side, De Rossi fields Ekhator alongside Ekuban, with wide and midfield support coming from Sabelli, Ellertsson and the central trio of Masini, Frendrup and Messias. The De Rossi side is also coping with an attacking shortage: an expected player is absent from the midfield group due to a muscular issue, a detail that shaped selection and balance in the first XI.

What If Venturino Repeats His Debut? Looking Ahead

Venturino’s inclusion is notable. The player, a 2006-born attacker who joined his new side on loan in January with a purchase option, is starting in his hometown and making only his second career start. His first start came on 24 May 2025 at Bologna, where he scored twice. That rare early-career performance informs expectations: a repeat would tilt the game dynamics, providing Roma a fresh, direct attacking threat in areas behind the defensive line.

De Rossi’s pre-match remarks framed the wider context: he emphasized that he worked not to be distracted by the past and that balance is required. That framing underlines both coaches’ priorities—De Rossi seeking structural stability from his chosen XI, and Gasperini willing to integrate a young, in-form talent into a supporting trio to unlock a lone striker.

Key tactical clarities and uncertainties are now settled by the published lists: personnel selection points to how each coach expects to generate chances, while absences and youth starts create the match’s main variables. The immediate verdict will come on the pitch, but the setup tells a clear story about risk appetite and short-term priorities for both teams.

Readers should watch for the early impact of Venturino in the spaces between midfield and defense, the supply lines to Malen, and how De Rossi’s forward duo interact with their wide support. Those developments will decide whether the match unfolds as a measured tactical battle or a contest swung by a young substitute-turned-starter. In the end, the small tactical margins and personnel notes above are the best immediate indicators of how this encounter at the Ferraris will play out for roma