Friday night at Stadio Olimpico feels less like an opportunity for AS Roma and more like an obligation after a damaging run of form that has put serious strain on their top-four hopes. Gian Piero Gasperini’s side welcome Pisa SC, knowing that anything less than three points would deepen a crisis at the worst possible moment of the season. The visitors, meanwhile, arrive in the Italian capital with their own desperation to avoid relegation from the top flight.
This is a match Roma should win and that, of course, is exactly what makes it dangerous. Not long ago, they looked firmly in the Champions League conversation but now, after a sharp drop in results and a worrying defensive decline, they are beginning to look like a side chasing rather than controlling their own destiny.
Four points from five league matches is simply not enough for a team with top-four ambitions, and the manner of their recent setbacks has only amplified the concern. The 5-2 defeat to Inter Milan was particularly damaging, not just because of the result, but because of how exposed and fragile Roma looked. For a side that had previously leaned on structure and competitiveness, that performance raised serious questions about their confidence and defensive organisation. The good news, if there is any, is that this fixture gives them a chance to reset.
At home, Roma have generally been much stronger and more reliable. Stadio Olimpico remains one of the few places where they still look capable of playing with control and authority, and against an opponent like Pisa, they should expect to take the initiative from the outset.
Pisa have concerns of their own and their season has been defined by long stretches of ineffectiveness, and despite a managerial change, there has been little meaningful improvement. Just two wins all season tells the story starkly enough, but it is their lack of attacking output that makes their position feel especially grim.
Pisa are not just losing games but are also struggling to score, particularly away from home. In fact, since Oscar Hiljemark’s appointment, they have become the only team in the league not to score an away goal. That is an extraordinary statistic, and one that makes this trip to Rome look particularly daunting. There is still time on the calendar, but very little in their recent performances suggests they are equipped to mount the kind of survival run they now require.
The Giallorossi are likely to dominate possession, territory and attacking sequences, while Pisa should spend long periods trying to stay compact and survive. The visitors will almost certainly approach this as a containment exercise first, hoping to frustrate Roma, slow the tempo and drag the game into uncomfortable territory for as long as possible.
The key question is whether Roma can score early because if they do, this could quickly become a very long night for Pisa. If they do not, then nerves may begin to creep in, and that is where the match could become more awkward than the hosts would ideally want. Given their recent form, there may be some tension in the stadium if the game stays level for too long. That said, Pisa’s lack of attacking threat means Roma should still feel relatively secure even if the breakthrough takes time. The Hard Tackle takes a look at how the teams could line up on the night and what tactics they might employ.
Gian Piero Gasperini is dealing with several important absences heading into this must-win fixture, and the biggest fresh blow is at the back, where Gianluca Mancini has been ruled out with an adductor injury after the heavy defeat to Inter Milan. He joins an already notable injury list that includes attacking trio Paulo Dybala, Artem Dovbyk, and Evan Ferguson, leaving Roma short of proven options in the final third.
There is, however, some encouragement elsewhere, with both Manu Kone and Wesley reported to be close to returning, even if this match may come slightly too soon for them to start. With so many attacking absences, Donyell Malen is almost certain to continue leading the line, and his form makes him Roma’s most dangerous outlet once again.
Meanwhile, Lorenzo Pellegrini comes into the match with added motivation, needing just one more goal to reach 50 Serie A goals and potentially doing so on his 300th top-flight appearance. There are no major suspension concerns reported for Roma, but the injury list means Gasperini has little room for rotation despite the poor result last time out.
Tactically, Roma are expected to line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation, a system that should still allow them to dominate the ball and control territory despite the missing names. In goal, Mile Svilar is likely to start and should have a quieter evening than he endured at San Siro, though his concentration will still be important if Pisa choose to sit deep and counter.
The back three should consist of Daniele Ghilardi on the right, Evan Ndicka centrally, and Mario Hermoso on the left. With Mancini absent, this defensive unit will need to show more composure and stability than Roma managed in their previous outing. Across midfield, Zeki Celik is expected to operate as the right wing-back and Kostas Tsimikas on the left, with both likely to play a key role in helping Roma stretch Pisa and maintain pressure in advanced areas.
In central midfield, Bryan Cristante and Niccolo Pisilli are expected to form the partnership. Cristante should provide structure, experience and control from deeper areas, while Pisilli brings energy and the ability to support attacks with intelligent movement. Against a side likely to defend deep, their ability to move the ball quickly and patiently will be important.
Further forward, Roma are expected to use Matias Soule and Lorenzo Pellegrini in the two advanced support roles behind Donyell Malen. Soule should provide creativity, direct running and the ability to carry the ball into dangerous areas, while Pellegrini’s intelligence and technical quality will be central to Roma’s efforts to unlock a compact defence. Up front, Malen is expected to lead the line and remains the obvious danger man, particularly given his current scoring run since arriving in January.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Svilar; Ghilardi, Ndicka, Hermoso; Celik, Cristante, Pisilli, Tsimikas; Soule, Pellegrini; Malen
Oscar Hiljemark heads into this difficult trip to Rome with a few notable absences, though there is at least some positive news in attack. The visitors are still without Daniel Denoon, Marius Marin, and Isak Vural, all of whom remain ruled out through injury, which continues to weaken their options in defence and midfield. However, there is a boost in terms of experience and squad depth, with veteran winger Juan Cuadrado having returned to the bench last weekend after his own spell out.
Pisa also welcome back Rafiu Durosinmi, who is now available again after serving a two-match suspension, and his return increases competition in the forward line. That could put pressure on Henrik Meister, while also giving Pisa a more physically capable option in attack. In terms of recent attacking output, Stefano Moreo remains their main scoring reference, while Matteo Tramoni has at least shown flashes of threat away from home in recent matches.
There are no new suspension concerns beyond Durosinmi’s completed ban, but Pisa still arrive in Rome with a thin squad and limited room for experimentation. Tactically, Pisa are expected to line up in a 3-5-2 formation, a setup that should help them stay compact and try to congest central areas against a Roma side expected to dominate possession.
In goal, Adrian Semper is likely to start and will almost certainly be one of the busiest players on the pitch, with Pisa likely to spend long periods defending deep. The back three should consist of Arturo Calabresi on the right, Antonio Caracciolo in the centre, and Simone Canestrelli on the left. This defensive unit will need to remain highly disciplined and organised if Pisa are to stay competitive for any meaningful length of time.
Across midfield, Mehdi Leris is expected to operate as the right wing-back and Samuele Angori on the left, with both likely to spend much of the evening in defensive positions rather than pushing high consistently. In central midfield, Malthe Hojholt, Ebenezer Akinsanmiro, and Michel Aebischer are expected to form the three-man core. Their main task will be to remain compact, deny Roma space between the lines and try to disrupt the tempo of the game whenever possible. Akinsanmiro, in particular, may be asked to provide some carrying ability when Pisa do get chances to break forward.
Further up the pitch, Matteo Tramoni is expected to operate just off Rafiu Durosinmi, giving Pisa a strike pairing with slightly different qualities. Tramoni should provide movement, link-up play and a bit more technical unpredictability, while Durosinmi offers physical presence and the ability to occupy defenders.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Semper; Calabresi, Caracciolo, Canestrelli; Leris, Hojolt, Akinsanmiro, Aebischer, Angori; Tramoni, Durosinmi
If Roma are going to steady themselves and keep their top-four hopes alive, Donyell Malen feels like the most obvious player to make the difference. There are a couple of reasons for that and the first is simply form. Since arriving in Rome midway through January, Malen has been Roma’s most productive attacker, and at a time when several of their other forward options are unavailable, his importance has only grown.
The second reason is the likely shape of the game. Pisa are expected to defend deep, stay compact and make this as frustrating as possible. That means Roma will probably spend long stretches circulating the ball, looking for openings and trying to break down a crowded defensive block. In those situations, they need someone capable of making sharp movements, attacking small spaces and producing moments of quality without needing many chances.
That is where Malen becomes especially valuable as he brings pace, directness and a willingness to shoot quickly when half-opportunities appear, which can be extremely useful against teams that are difficult to break down structurally. He also looks like the one Roma player most likely to turn a tight, slightly uncomfortable match into something more manageable with a single decisive moment.
Roma should have too much quality, territorial control and attacking pressure for Pisa over the course of the 90 minutes. the visitors are likely to sit deep and try to make this frustrating, but their poor away form and lack of goal threat make it difficult to see them seriously troubling Roma unless the hosts waste too many chances. If the Giallorossi score first, the game should open up enough for them to manage it comfortably.
