AS Roma comes into this game in a strange mix of progress and frustration, with two consecutive defeats in Serie A, capped by the setback in Cagliari, not living up to Gasperini’s publicly stated ambitions. At the same time, three consecutive Europa League wins, including Ferguson’s brace in Glasgow, point in the opposite direction and convey the feeling of a team that has picked up momentum internationally, which is further underlined off the pitch by the debut of new sleeve sponsor Wizz Air. Como, meanwhile, arrive on the back of a 4-0 defeat at Inter, a result that ended a league run that dated back to August 30 and, remarkably, was the first time this season that Fàbregas’ team had conceded more than one goal in Serie A, meaning that their sixth place in the table, financed by the wealthy Hartono family, is now under pressure to find a suitable response at the Olimpico without the injured Morata and the suspended Perrone.
- Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome
- Date and time: 12/15/2025, 8:45 p.m.
- Competition: Serie A (Matchday 15)
The pressing AS Roma under Gasperini, boosted by the result in Glasgow and Ferguson’s form, should take advantage of an Inter-weary Como team that will have to do without Morata. However, Paz and Rodriguez are dangerous enough to test a defense that concedes goals, so AS Roma seem rather undervalued at odds of around 2.2 despite being clear favorites on the market.
AS Roma form & record check
Roma are currently in fourth place with 27 points, three points behind Inter and only two ahead of Bologna, so the gap to the Champions League places remains narrow. In their last five competitive games, the team has recorded three wins and two defeats, without a single draw, and conceded goals in four of those games. In Serie A, the picture is less flattering, with a 3-1 win at Cremonese followed by narrow 0-1 defeats at the Olimpico against Napoli and away at Cagliari, two games in which Roma kept the score close but failed to score, and when combined with earlier results, the recent league run has seen defeats outnumber victories, with no sign of balance yet. In Europe, the tone is much more positive, with Roma beating Midtjylland 2-1 at home and following that up with a convincing 3-0 away win at Celtic in the group stage, Ferguson scoring twice in Glasgow, Çelik set up a goal and Soulé was involved again in the final third, a game that, with its goals before the break, stood in stark contrast to the mostly low-scoring early stages of recent performances. In terms of personnel, Gasperini is still without Bove due to heart problems and has not been able to call on Dovbyk due to a thigh strain, meaning that rotation in midfield and attack is somewhat thinner and players such as Cristante, Pellegrini, Soulé, and Ferguson could carry an additional load, while off the pitch, the new partnership with Wizz Air underlines the desire to rebuild momentum around the team.
AS Roma are expected to stick with the 3-4-2-1 formation under Gasperini, with Svilar in goal behind a back three of Mancini, Ndicka, and Hermoso, Çelik and Angeliño providing width on the wings, Cristante and El Aynaoui covering the center, and Dybala and Soule Ferguson supporting between the lines. With Bove out due to heart problems and Dovbyk recovering from a thigh strain, AS Roma’s options in central midfield and center forward are somewhat limited, which could further strengthen confidence in Cristante and Ferguson in their positions. and because the club’s recent official announcements have focused primarily on the new partnership with Wizz Air, this lineup remains a well-founded prediction rather than a confirmed lineup.
Como Form & Record Check
Como travels to Rome with an overall positive league record, despite the defeat at San Siro. Fàbregas has stabilized his team in sixth place with 24 points and a goal difference of 8, just one point behind Bologna and one ahead of Juventus, and before the 4-0 defeat to Inter, they were unbeaten since August 30 and had never conceded more than one goal in Serie A. Como started November with solid 0-0 draws in Naples and at home against Cagliari, games that highlighted their defensive organization but also revealed a certain hesitancy in the final third. They then exploded in transition in Turin, winning 5-1, followed by a controlled 2-0 home win against Sassuolo before collapsing against Inter. There is a clear pattern running through their league games: the first halves are usually tight, with under 1.5 goals scored in 80% of their last five encounters. The greater risk, as seen against Inter and Torino, tends to come after the break when games open up. With Morata injured and Perrone suspended, Fàbregas is relying even more heavily on Caqueret, Da Cunha and Douvikas to provide structure and punch. Against this backdrop, expectations for Como are probably still slightly below what reality shows. Sixth place, just one win away from Rome and the Champions League spots, rewards the stability that Fàbregas has built, but the heavy defeat at Inter suggests that they have so far lacked a reliable Plan B against elite pressing teams, so the next step is to prove that this debacle was just a blip and not a natural limit.
Interestingly, Como under Fàbregas is likely to stick with its usual 4-2-3-1 formation, with Butez in goal, a back four of Posch, Diego Carlos, Smolcic, and Valle, Caqueret and Da Cunha in midfield, Paz as the link between the lines, and Addai and Rodriguez on the wings alongside Douvikas in the center of the attack. Morata’s groin problem, the injuries to Dossena and Goldaniga, the absence of Sergi Roberto and Perrone’s suspension all suggest that this is a probable but still provisional starting lineup.
AS Roma – Como Head-to-Head Comparison & Statistics
In the only two matches between the two sides to date, in December 2024 and March 2025, the results have been completely even. Roma won 2-1 at home in March 2025, while Como won the first game 2-0 at home in December 2024, giving Como a narrow lead in goal difference, with three goals scored compared to Roma’s two. There has been no draw so far. Both games followed a similar pattern, with fewer than two goals scored in the first half. Rome failed to score before the break in either game, while Como kept a clean sheet in the early stages. It was only after the break that the games opened up, with at least two goals scored in both second halves and the final scores always ranging between two and three goals. So far, Como has scored in both encounters and Roma has conceded goals in each, suggesting a slight offensive advantage for Fàbregas’ team, despite the equal result of one win each. Home advantage has been decisive so far, with every win going to the hosts, so that small details and game management seem to be more important than clear psychological superiority. For Gian Piero Gasperini and Cesc Fàbregas, their head-to-head history is still limited, but it already shows a clear pattern with cautious starts and livelier second halves. Neither coach has experienced a draw in this duel so far, and since both games were decided after the break, adjustments during the game seem to be the deciding factor.
