Mansion Sports – The 2025/2026 Serie A season once again presents an exciting fixture that is worth anticipating, particularly for fans of Italian football.

In Matchday 17, AS Roma will face an important home match as they host Genoa at the Stadio Olimpico.

This duel is not merely about three points, but is also rich in emotional narratives, involving figures who have strong ties to both clubs.

The match is scheduled to take place at the Stadio Olimpico on Monday, 23 December 2025, at 20.45 local time.

In this final Matchday 17 fixture, both head coaches remain highly respected by the opposing clubs’ supporters, with Gian Piero Gasperini fondly remembered by the Grifone faithful and Daniele De Rossi returning to his former home in Rome.

Before the match kicks off, here is Mansion Sports’ prediction for the AS Roma vs Genoa lineups December 2025 below.

Team Conditions Ahead of the Match

AS Roma

Suffering another blow in their pursuit of a top-four finish, Roma were defeated in their final match before Christmas against fellow contenders Juventus, who are now just one point away in the Serie A standings.

The Giallorossi’s 2-1 loss in Turin followed earlier poor results against Napoli and Cagliari, although they did manage to secure victories over Celtic and Como in between those setbacks.

With only three points collected from their last four league matches, Roma have begun to slide down the table, although they remain within close proximity of the top positions.

Roma’s success so far has been built on the strongest defensive record in Italy’s top flight, having conceded only 10 goals from 16 matches, reflecting significant progress since Claudio Ranieri began reshaping the team late last year.

Notably, against Scudetto rivals such as Napoli and Inter Milan, the capital club have accumulated the most points throughout 2025, and they could increase their total to 82 points with another victory on Monday night.

Across two separate spells, current head coach Gian Piero Gasperini previously managed Genoa in a total of 297 competitive matches, and the veteran coach will face his former club twice within the coming days.

Before returning to Bergamo for a reunion with Atalanta BC, Gasperini must attempt to extend Roma’s strong record against their Rossoblu rivals, having lost only once in their last 20 league meetings, with 14 victories.

Genoa

From the previous 64 Serie A matches played in Rome, Genoa have recorded only nine victories, with the most recent occurring in 1990. This record leaves De Rossi facing an unfavorable historical backdrop upon his return to the Eternal City.

As an influential midfielder, De Rossi made 616 appearances for Roma, second only to Francesco Totti on the club’s all-time list, before enduring an unsuccessful spell as head coach last year.

After managing only 30 matches with his boyhood club before being dismissed, De Rossi will now face Roma as an opponent for the first time.

Genoa were in a precarious position prior to De Rossi’s appointment earlier this season, but a run of two wins and two draws quickly lifted them out of the relegation zone.

However, facing two difficult fixtures before Christmas, the Grifone failed to collect points against Inter and Atalanta.

In the latter match, an early red card for Nicola Leali proved costly, although they came close to stealing a point had it not been for a decisive late goal conceded.

Nevertheless, since De Rossi’s arrival, Genoa have won two of their last three away matches in Serie A, matching the total from their previous 17 away fixtures, suggesting they could spring a surprise at the Olimpico.

AS Roma vs Genoa Predicted Lineups – December 2025

AS Roma (3-4-2-1)

Roma are set to make at least one change on Monday night after Lorenzo Pellegrini suffered a hamstring injury in training and joined Leon Bailey on the absentee list.

Neil El Aynaoui and key defender Evan Ndicka are also on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations, but Gasperini has received positive news with Artem Dovbyk returning from a thigh injury.

Dovbyk has been the Giallorossi’s top scorer throughout 2025 with 15 goals, while Evan Ferguson and Paulo Dybala have endured relatively difficult seasons, leaving uncertainty over who will be trusted to lead the line.

Genoa (3-5-2)

Meanwhile, Genoa must make a change in goal as Leali is suspended.

Benjamin Siegrist has suffered a broken finger, meaning third-choice goalkeeper Daniele Sommariva will start.

The Rossoblu also have a lengthy injury list including Junior Messias, Morten Thorsby, Hugo Cuenca, Arthur Gronbaek, and Maxwel Cornet, while Jean Onana is representing Cameroon at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Positive news for De Rossi comes from resilient defender and joint top team scorer with three goals, Leo Ostigard, who has recovered from a calf injury and is expected to be ready to start.

This match not only serves as the conclusion of Serie A Matchday 17, but also represents a significant moment in the competition between the upper and middle sections of the standings.

With all the narratives, history, and current conditions surrounding both teams, this fixture makes the AS Roma vs Genoa lineups December 2025 one of the most highly anticipated topics among Italian football enthusiasts.